Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Antidepressants Affect DreamsStudying the ImpactTypes of AntidepressantsMore Research Is Needed

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Antidepressants Affect Dreams

Studying the Impact

Types of Antidepressants

More Research Is Needed

Close

Antidepressants can help relieve symptoms of depression and other mental health conditions, but they can also have side effects. Nightmares or other changes in dreaming are one possible effect you might notice after you start taking an antidepressant.

How to Know That You Had a Vivid Dream

If you haveclinical depression, you’re probably familiar with the wee hours of the morning. Depression isknown to causesleep disturbances such as insomnia, early morning awakenings, and bad dreams or nightmares.In fact, it has been shown to alter the part of sleep associated with rapid eye movements called REM sleep, wheredreamingoccurs.

Specifically, depression decreases the time it takes to enter REM sleep (called REM sleep latency) and increases the frequency of rapid eye movements during sleep (called REM sleep density).In conjunction with these changes in REM sleep, people with depression report having more negative or bad dreams.

Ironically, antidepressants, which treat depression, can also impact your dreams through affecting REM sleep.

Research has shown that antidepressants may induce different dreamemotions,which can lead to both pleasant dreams and nightmares. Antidepressants can also influence how often you dream and decrease your recall of dreams.This lines up with what patients tend to report about their sleep while on antidepressants.

Press Play for Advice On Dream InterpretationThis episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring therapist and dream interpreter Jesse Lyon, shares science-backed strategies that you can use to better understand your dreams. Click below to listen now.

Press Play for Advice On Dream Interpretation

This episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring therapist and dream interpreter Jesse Lyon, shares science-backed strategies that you can use to better understand your dreams. Click below to listen now.

Studying the Impact of Antidepressants

In a 2013 report published inSleep Medicine Reviews, Gotthard Tribl and his research team completed a systematic review that examined the impact of antidepressants on dream content in both depressed and non-depressed individuals.

Out of all the studies published over a period of 60 years, they found a total of 21 clinical studies and 25 case reports that were eligible for review.

The studies compared dream content across a spectrum of different antidepressants as well as making comparisons between the dream content of those taking or not taking an antidepressant.A variety of methods were used to record dream content, including:

The Class of Antidepressant Matters

The evidence indicates that differenttypes of antidepressantscan play a role in the impact on dreams.

Tricyclic Antidepressants

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are older antidepressants that inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. They include such medications as:

Researchers have found that taking antidepressants tends to make both depressed and non-depressed individuals remember their dreams less often. This effect was most prominent for people takingtricyclic antidepressants. On the other hand, tricyclics tended to produce more positive or pleasant dreams.

SSRI and SNRI Antidepressants

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)increase the amount of serotonin in the brain, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors increase the amount of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain.

Examples of SSRIs include:

Research suggests that SSRIs are less likely to interfere with the ability to recall dreams. One case report found that the SSRI Viibryd (vilazodone) led to intense and frightening nightmares in one patient after three doses.

Antidepressants belonging to the SSRI class, as well asserotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors(SNRIs), have been shown to intensify dreams and increase how often people reported having nightmares.SNRIs include such medications as:

Other Medications

In addition to antidepressants, other types of medication that are sometimes prescribed to treat mental health conditions are also linked to nightmares and other changes in dreams.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors(MAOIs) block the breakdown of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. One MAOI called Nardil (phenelzine) has also been shown to increase dream recall.

Beta-blockersare used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, but they are also sometimes prescribed to treat anxiety. However, research suggests that they can also impair sleep and may increase the risk of having nightmares.

Withdrawal from antidepressants usually caused an increase in dream recall and more frequent nightmares.

Researchers have noted, however, that little attention has been paid to dream recall and content. More studies are needed to characterize how antidepressants affect dreaming.

The effect on dreams, including the increased likelihood of nightmares, may affect patient preferences regarding medication. It may also affect recommendations for which antidepressant best suits each individual.

Final Thoughts

Nightmares and changes in dreaming are not frequently discussed side effects of antidepressants. However, being aware that they may occur can help you be more aware of what you can expect when you begin taking an antidepressant medication.

Talk to your doctor or therapist if you are concerned about any changes in sleep or other side effects that you might be experiencing due to your antidepressant.

Negative Side Effects of Antidepressants

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Foldvary-Schaefer N.Sleep and psychological disorders. In:Cleveland Clinic Guide to Sleep Disorders.Kaplan Publishing; 2009.Tribl GG, Wetter TC, Schredl M.Dreaming under antidepressants: A systematic review on evidence in depressive patients and healthy volunteers.Sleep Med Rev.2013;17(2):133-142. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2012.05.001De Sousa A.Nightmares associated with vilazodone in a patient with major depressive disorder.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(6):737. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000574Riemer TG, Villagomez Fuentes LE, Algharably EAE, et al.Do β-blockers cause depression? : Systematic review and meta-analysis of psychiatric adverse events during β-blocker therapy.Hypertension. 2021;77(5):1539-1548. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16590

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Foldvary-Schaefer N.Sleep and psychological disorders. In:Cleveland Clinic Guide to Sleep Disorders.Kaplan Publishing; 2009.Tribl GG, Wetter TC, Schredl M.Dreaming under antidepressants: A systematic review on evidence in depressive patients and healthy volunteers.Sleep Med Rev.2013;17(2):133-142. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2012.05.001De Sousa A.Nightmares associated with vilazodone in a patient with major depressive disorder.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(6):737. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000574Riemer TG, Villagomez Fuentes LE, Algharably EAE, et al.Do β-blockers cause depression? : Systematic review and meta-analysis of psychiatric adverse events during β-blocker therapy.Hypertension. 2021;77(5):1539-1548. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16590

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.Foldvary-Schaefer N.Sleep and psychological disorders. In:Cleveland Clinic Guide to Sleep Disorders.Kaplan Publishing; 2009.Tribl GG, Wetter TC, Schredl M.Dreaming under antidepressants: A systematic review on evidence in depressive patients and healthy volunteers.Sleep Med Rev.2013;17(2):133-142. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2012.05.001De Sousa A.Nightmares associated with vilazodone in a patient with major depressive disorder.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(6):737. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000574Riemer TG, Villagomez Fuentes LE, Algharably EAE, et al.Do β-blockers cause depression? : Systematic review and meta-analysis of psychiatric adverse events during β-blocker therapy.Hypertension. 2021;77(5):1539-1548. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16590

National Institute of Mental Health.Depression.

Foldvary-Schaefer N.Sleep and psychological disorders. In:Cleveland Clinic Guide to Sleep Disorders.Kaplan Publishing; 2009.

Tribl GG, Wetter TC, Schredl M.Dreaming under antidepressants: A systematic review on evidence in depressive patients and healthy volunteers.Sleep Med Rev.2013;17(2):133-142. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2012.05.001

De Sousa A.Nightmares associated with vilazodone in a patient with major depressive disorder.J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(6):737. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000574

Riemer TG, Villagomez Fuentes LE, Algharably EAE, et al.Do β-blockers cause depression? : Systematic review and meta-analysis of psychiatric adverse events during β-blocker therapy.Hypertension. 2021;77(5):1539-1548. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16590

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