10 Common Medications That Can Affect Sleep

By Ashley Garling, Pharm.D, July 30, 2024

“Anything that alters sleep architecture [normal sleep patterns] can cause muscle-related sleep disruptions, or acting out dreams,” says Alex Dimitriu, M.D., who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine in Menlo Park, California. “Common substances include alcohol, certain antidepressants, sedatives like zolpidem [Ambien] or eszopiclone [Lunesta], and [the beta-blocker] metoprolol [Lopressor].” Antidepressants may cause REM sleep behavior disorder by altering levels of the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin, which play a role in REM sleep.

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