What is the best time of the day to take Zoloft for anxiety?

This article will discuss what is the best time of the day to take Zoloft when you are treating anxiety. Aside from that, the article will explain how Zoloft acts on your body, its possible side effects, and what should be taken into consideration before taking it.

What is the best time of the day to take Zoloft for anxiety? 

The best time of day to take Zoloft can be in the morning, if you feel it can make you more active during the day. It can also be the case if you feel that the medication causes you to experience insomnia as a side effect of it. 

What is most important when taking it, is its consistency. You should always take it at the same time. But discussing it over with your doctor, and becoming aware of how Zoloft works in your body, is what will ultimately define the best time of the day to take Zoloft.

As said, the most important thing, when taking Zoloft for anxiety, is keeping it consistent. If you feel you may have trouble remembering to take your medication, you may want to set an alarm on your phone to remind you to do it. But let’s explain a little about Zoloft so you can have in mind how it may work for you. 

What is Zoloft?

Zoloft, also known as Sertraline, is an antidepressant medication. It is part of the group of antidepressants called Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI). It is usually prescribed to treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and panic attacks.

As with other SSRI antidepressants, Zoloft will work in your body by increasing the level of sertraline in your body. Which can improve your mood, and reduce other symptoms of anxiety. It can improve your energy level, and your sleeping and eating patterns will also improve.

How does dosage work? 

When you have prescribed Zoloft, your doctor may start with a lower dose, but the dosage used for people with anxiety is usually between 25 and 50mg each day. The maximum dose of Zoloft is 200mg. 

And by the second week of taking it, you may experience a mild improvement in your symptoms of anxiety, but it can take up to 6 weeks so you can start to feel better.

Zoloft can be taken before or after eating. And in case you forget to take a dose of it, you may want to take it as soon as you remember. But don’t take it if it is too close to the next dose, when that is the case, you should just wait for the next one.

Once you start to feel better, you shouldn’t stop taking Zoloft by yourself. Follow your doctor’s instructions, because if you just stop cold turkey, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal.

What are its side effects? 

As with all other antidepressants, Zoloft can come with some side effects. It is important to know that they may be mild, and go on for the first weeks when you are taking them. But if they last longer, or are too intense, you may want to let your doctor know. This way, they can consider changing your dose, or even your medication.

The mild side effects of Zoloft can be agitation, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, fatigue, or headache. Zoloft can also cause insomnia, changes in eating patterns, stomachache, and a change in libido. If those side effects go on for a prolonged period, you should get in touch with your doctor. 

In some more severe cases, Zoloft can cause allergic reactions, such as rash, hives, or swelling of your throat, tongue, or lips. It can also lead to shortness of breath. When this happens, you should go to the emergency room and get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible. 

Aside from those, if you experience chest pains, severe dizziness, and uncontrollable bleeding you should also get in touch with your doctor since it may be necessary to change your medication.

What should be taken into consideration before taking Zoloft?

If your doctor is considering prescribing you Zoloft for anxiety, you may want to let them know what other medications you are taking. That is because Zoloft can interact with them and cut in their effect of them, lose its power, or even make your anxiety worse.

Pregnant women, or even ones that are breastfeeding, should be careful when taking Zoloft, as it can go to the baby, and have some impact on them. Zoloft can also cause a few of its users, be it children, teenagers, or adults, suicidal thoughts.

It can cause people that have Bipolar Disorder to have manic symptoms. And to some people, it can cause a dangerous syndrome called Serotonin Syndrome, which can lead to seizures, heart palpitation, and confusion. In some extreme cases, it can lead to death.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): What is the best time of the day to take Zoloft for anxiety? 

What is anxiety? 

Anxiety is something everyone will experience in life. It can be that nervous feeling you get before a job interview or a first date. But to some people, this feeling can become too intense, and be present even when there isn’t any concrete reason to worry.

An anxiety disorder can cause the person to feel a constant dread and fear the worst will happen. It can make it hard for people to relax, and bring on many physical and emotional effects. It can increase the person’s heartbeat, make their muscles tense up, and make the person’s breathing go faster.

Anxiety makes it harder for people to concentrate, and they may have trouble sleeping. It can lead to nausea, and loss of appetite, or some people may overeat when anxious. It can also make people start sweating, feel dizzy, and their mouths can become dry.

When anxious, the person can experience chills, feel numbness, or tingling on their hands and feet. As for the emotional aspect, it leads people to experience fear, and have trouble relaxing. They may feel a sense of impending doom, and it can lead them to avoid stressful situations.

What causes anxiety? 

Although there are still many studies being done to understand what causes anxiety, it seems to be related to a combination of factors. It seems that genetics play a role in it, as well as environmental factors.

It is also believed that anxiety is related to a person’s brain chemistry. And that it affects the areas of the brain that are responsible for controlling fear. 

What are ways to treat anxiety? 

There are some ways to treat anxiety. The first thing is to look for professional help. It can be therapy and even medication. First, you will talk to a professional about your feelings, and understand better how they work. 

Through that, you may get a better understanding of your patterns, and what causes you to feel anxious. By understanding your triggers, and what activates them, you may start to react differently to them, and feel better.

And by going to a psychiatrist, a doctor that specializes in mental health, you may be prescribed medication. This will allow your symptoms of anxiety to be less intense, which can improve your quality of life. 

But aside from those, there are some things you can do in your everyday life to feel better. The first thing is to exercise. Mental health professionals constantly recommend that because it will improve your stress levels, and also work on your mood.

Meditation and breathing exercises are also positive things when you are going through anxiety. Through those, you may be able to center yourself. Be it when you are going through a crisis, on as a daily practice. It will give you a moment to focus on how you feel, rather than those racing thoughts.

Eating and sleeping well, and avoiding coffee and alcohol can also do wonders for anxiety. It will help you live a more balanced life, in which your anxiety won’t be as intense.

What are the types of antidepressants? 

There are some types of antidepressants. Some more modern ones such as the Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed because they usually have fewer side effects, two examples of which are Fluoxetine and Citalopram.

Another form of antidepressant is the Serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as venlafaxine, which is similar to SSRIs but was created to be more effective than SSRIs. Noradrenaline and specific serotonergic antidepressants (NASSAs), such as mirtazapine, are recommended for people that can’t take SSRIs. 

There are older forms of antidepressants such as tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), such as amitriptyline. They can be recommended to people with major depression that are resistant to other medications. 

There are also Serotonin antagonists and reuptake inhibitors (SARIs), such as trazodone, and Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) which are older types of antidepressants. It has a lot of serious side effects. The most known example of it is tranylcypromine.

What are the medications prescribed to treat anxiety?

Some medications can be used to treat anxiety. It can be that some doctors prescribe Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax, and Valium. 

These can help relax your muscles, and your mind, by improving the work of some neurotransmitters. Because they have some side effects such as dizziness, they are mostly used to treat anxiety in the short term.

Some forms of antidepressants, such as SSRIs, MAOIs, and tricyclics can also be used to treat anxiety. Buspirone is another medication that is used to treat anxiety, and even though it is not completely understood how it works, it usually improves the person’s mood.

Another type of medication for anxiety is called Beta-Blockers. Those that are usually used as heart medication can help improve the person’s physical symptoms of anxiety. An example of Beta-Blockers is propranolol. 

Does anxiety have a cure?

No, anxiety doesn’t have a cure. Because it may be related to some genetic factors, which can’t change even through treatment, one can always come to experience anxiety again. What is possible is to understand what triggers it, and what is the best way to deal with how you feel.

Conclusion 

This article centered around what is the best time of the day to take Zoloft if you have anxiety. But not only that, the article also showed how Zoloft works in your body, what are its possible side effects, and what you should consider before you start taking it.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write them in the section below

References

https://www.forhims.com/blog/best-time-of-day-to-take-zoloft-for-anxiety

https://www.forhims.com/blog/best-time-of-day-to-take-zoloft-for-anxiety

https://www.verywellmind.com/antidepressant-night-morning-1066863