Can Suboxone Affect Your Sleep or Cause Insomnia?

Suboxone is a medication used for opiate addiction treatment. While it can be very effective in helping people overcome addiction, it can also cause minor and severe side effects, including insomnia. If you find yourself struggling with insomnia while taking Suboxone, there are some things you can do to ease the symptoms. 

This blog post will discuss the link between Suboxone and insomnia and offer tips on overcoming sleep problems during withdrawal and recovery.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is an FDA-approved medication used to treat opiate addiction. It is a combination of two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone.

Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist that binds to opioid receptors in the brain and reduces cravings for opioids. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that blocks the effects of opioids which prevents abuse by preventing the person from getting high.

Suboxone is a Schedule III controlled substance. It has a lower potential for abuse than other opioids. It makes it a safe and effective option for people trying to overcome opioid addiction.

In addition, Suboxone is used as part of a treatment plan that includes counseling and behavioral therapy. This approach is known as medication-assisted treatment (MAT). MAT is the most effective way to treat opioid addiction. It helps people to stay in treatment, reduces the risk of relapse, and decreases the chance of overdose.

Suboxone is available in the form of a sublingual film or tablet, and it is typically taken once daily. The dosage depends on the individual, but most people will start with a dose of 8mg/2mg. 

The film or tablet is placed under the tongue to dissolve. Suboxone is absorbed into the bloodstream through the veins under the tongue. Once absorbed, it binds to opioid receptors. The effects of Suboxone last for 24 hours.

What Are Suboxone's Side Effects? 

Despite its effectiveness, Suboxone can cause some side effects. The most common side effects include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Headache

• Dizziness

• Sweating

• Dry mouth

• Constipation

• Fatigue

• Insomnia

Suboxone can also cause more severe side effects, such as:

• Slow heart rate

• Respiratory depression

• Seizures

• Liver damage

You must talk to your Suboxone doctor if you experience any side effects. They will be able to determine if the benefits of Suboxone outweigh the risks.

Does Suboxone Affect Your Sleep Quality? 

As we mentioned above, Suboxone can cause insomnia, defined as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. It is caused by withdrawal and the medication itself.

Withdrawal is the first thing that causes insomnia. For many people trying to quit opiates, insomnia is a real and challenging problem. 

Opiate withdrawal can cause insomnia for some reasons. First, the body is trying to readjust to not having opiates in its system during withdrawal. It can result in increased anxiety, stress, irritability, and restlessness, making it difficult to fall asleep. 

Second, opiate withdrawal can also cause changes in hormone levels, which can disrupt natural sleep patterns. Finally, some people find it hard to sleep when in pain, and opiate withdrawal can be pretty painful.

Suboxone also causes insomnia. It contains buprenorphine, which is an opioid partial agonist. The opioid nature of buprenorphine disrupts the natural sleep cycle, and as a result, it can cause insomnia, daytime fatigue, disturbed sleep, and sleep stage distribution. 

The National Library of Medicine has proven the effects of buprenorphine on sleep quality in a study. They found that buprenorphine can decrease the amount of time spent in REM sleep, reduce sleep quality, and increase the time it takes to fall asleep.

So from this, we can conclude that Suboxone can affect your sleep quality. But the good news is that insomnia caused by Suboxone is usually mild and goes away with time.

Does the Timing of When a Patient Takes Their Medication Affect Suboxone Insomnia? 

The timing of when a patient takes Suboxone can affect the severity of their insomnia. Taking Suboxone too late at night can affect sleep quality because buprenorphine can stay in the system for up to 24 hours. 

If a person takes Suboxone before bedtime, they may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. However, taking Suboxone too early in the day can cause insomnia because the medication can wear off before bedtime.

Early in the treatment, it is crucial to find the right balance of when to take Suboxone, so it does not affect sleep quality. The best time to take Suboxone can be different for everyone, and it may take some trial and error to find what works best. So it's important to talk to your Suboxone doctor about the best time for you to take your medication.

Aside from the timing of when you take Suboxone, other factors need to be considered when thinking about how Suboxone will affect your sleep. It includes the number of times a patient takes Suboxone per day and the dose of Suboxone that is being taken. 

Generally, the more a person takes Suboxone daily, the greater the chance it will affect their sleep quality. So it's recommended that patients take Suboxone only once a day to minimize the chances of it affecting sleep.

As for the dose, taking a higher dose of Suboxone is more likely to cause insomnia than taking a lower dose. So it's essential to find the right balance of how much Suboxone you need to take in the morning or evening (if you're taking Suboxone twice a day) to minimize the chances of it affecting your sleep.

Can Taking Less Suboxone Help With Insomnia? 

The short answer is yes. Taking a smaller dose of Suboxone may help reduce the drug's side effects, including insomnia. So, you can reduce your daily dose or the number of times you take Suboxone daily to help you sleep better.

But you can't just reduce your daily dosage of Suboxone without consulting your Suboxone doctor first. Suboxone is a potent medication. Reducing the dosage without professional help can be dangerous. So it's crucial to talk to your Suboxone doctor about the best way to reduce your dose in order to help with insomnia.

Naturally, as you progress in your Suboxone treatment and get closer to recovery, the severity of side effects like insomnia will lessen, and the dosage you're taking can also be reduced. 

Sometimes, it might be essential to stick with the program and not give up even when things are tough. MAT can help patients get through the tough early days and weeks of treatment by helping ease withdrawal symptoms and side effects.

Can Sleeping Medications Help to Overcome Suboxone Insomnia? 

Sleeping medications should be the last option for overcoming Suboxone insomnia. Taking other medications with Suboxone can be dangerous as it might lead to more severe side effects. Sleeping medications should only be viewed as a short-term solution to help with Suboxone insomnia until the body adjusts to the medication, given that nothing else that has been tried has worked.

So before taking any sleep medication, consider improving your sleep hygiene and habits first. It may include:

• Ensuring your sleeping environment is dark, quiet, and cool

• Avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime

• Establishing a regular sleep schedule

• Avoiding gadgets used in bed

• Doing some relaxation exercises before bedtime.

If you've tried all these things and you're still struggling with Suboxone insomnia, it might be time to talk to your Suboxone doctor about taking sleep medication. But make sure to tell them about any other medications you're taking and any other health conditions you have, as this might affect the type of sleep medication prescribed.

Sleep Is Vital During Opiate Withdrawal and Recovery 

Anyone who has gone through opiate withdrawal knows how physically and mentally draining it can be. One of the most important things you can do during withdrawal and recovery is to get enough sleep. Getting good sleep can help speed up the recovery process by giving your body the time it needs to heal.

Here are more things you can do to help make sure you're getting enough sleep during withdrawal and recovery:

• Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Take a warm bath, read a book, or do gentle stretching exercises.

• Keep a regular sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends.

• Create a comfortable sleeping environment: Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Consider using earplugs or an eye mask if you need to.

• Limit caffeine and alcohol: Caffeine can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Alcohol might help you fall asleep at first, but it can cause you to wake up later in the night.

If you're struggling to get enough sleep, talk to your doctor about what you can do.

Seek Professional Help Today 

Many people find it hard to sleep during withdrawal and Suboxone treatment because of the physical and mental symptoms they're experiencing, together with the side effects of the medication. If you're still struggling to sleep after being in treatment for a while, it might be time to seek professional help.

Suboxone doctors can provide the support and guidance you need to get through withdrawal and recovery. They can also help you manage any side effects you might be experiencing, including insomnia.

Talk with a licensed Suboxone doctor today at SuboxoneDoctor.com.