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Quetiapine for Insomnia User Reviews

Brand names: Seroquel, Seroquel XR

Quetiapine has an average rating of 7.7 out of 10 from a total of 507 reviews for the off-label treatment of Insomnia. 69% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 15% reported a negative experience.

Quetiapine rating summary

7.7 average rating out of 10

507 ratings from 535 user reviews.

Compare all 85 medications used in the treatment of Insomnia.

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Reviews for Quetiapine

  • Baf...
  • January 19, 2021

"I have been prescribed 25mg quetiapine for sleep and am baffled as to how the people who are prescribed 100mg a day could remain conscious? After being on this for 2 years, I am still totally knocked out by one 25mg tablet. Most nights, I take half a tab or less. I haven’t noticed any increased tolerance in the time I have been on it. Anyway, can someone tell me, is my reaction abnormal? If not, how do any of you on doses of 50, 100, up to 800 stay awake? Once I take 25mg, that’s it, I am gonna sleep, like it or not. I have read that it is prescribed in doses up to 800mg for bipolar and thought omg if someone with bipolar was prescribed it at the doses I read (around 250mg) and they reacted like me, they would literally be incapable of functioning at all. So I was just curious, if you have bipolar, does bipolar, by its nature, mean you have a much higher tolerance or different reaction? Or is my reaction to 25mg abnormal?"

10 / 10
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863 Report
  • Mar...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • July 9, 2021

"I would like to share the fact that this drug is prescribed for sleep at 25-50 mg maximum because the lower strength it acts like antihistamine, similar to sleep ease or other sleep meds that cause drowsiness. If used at stronger doses, it can engage not sleep favourable conditions, such as why it is used for depression and psychosis on label. I am a male weighing 210 lbs and take between 12.5 to a maximum of 25 mg. 25 knocks me out for 12-14 hours, 12.5 mg for more like 8 hours. I have studied this drug extensively and in most people (not all), it does not help sleep at higher doses. It can cause increased blood glucose at doses higher than 50 mg. Other negative effects are also shown in doses over 50 mg. I refer to a large study done recently in 2021."

10 / 10
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564 Report
  • Bjo...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • March 4, 2021

"I've been taking 50mg Seroquel to sleep for a couple of years now. It works every night for me. Within half an hour of taking it, I am asleep for 6 hours. I tried quitting and got no sleep for days before giving up and taking it again. It felt like without it, I would never sleep again. Apparently, I'm dependent on it to sleep. Oh well, a good night's sleep is worth it. It's a 10 rating for me (minus 1 because I can't get off it)."

9 / 10
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519 Report

Frequently asked questions

  • The...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • January 15, 2021

"I read in various places that Seroquel is not a sleep med; apparently doctors and the like claim that that is not its purpose. Yeah, we know that, but I can assure you it is a very effective sleeping pill at 100mg. I have been taking it for four years and it has not failed me once. I've taken Trazodone and Ambien in the past, and I will say Seroquel is the best by far. I wake up completely refreshed, I have gained zero pounds, and it helps tremendously with helping one fall asleep and stay asleep. Give it a try, that would be my recommendation. Best of luck to you."

9 / 10
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513 Report
  • Lil...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 10, 2021

"Quetiapine 25mg has literally changed my life. I’ve been a poor sleeper all my life, but in the midst of menopause, I’m lucky to get 3 hours a night and developed anxiety, depression, and felt utterly lost. I have friends who are on large doses for bipolar features and tried 25 mg for sleep, and it worked. No daytime grogginess, just sleep. I could only use it for sleep, and happily my doc had no problem scripting off-label for me. It’s only been a few days, but I could cry with relief that I won’t spend 20 hours awake anymore. I’ve tried everything, and this medication at this dose has changed my life."

10 / 10
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392 Report

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  • Kps...
  • February 21, 2020

"I have to start by stating every drug affects everyone differently, and some respond positively to certain meds, while others had horrible reviews. For me, this drug, quetiapine, literally saved my life. I was going on 3 weeks of no sleep from chronic stress. I was manic and could not sleep no matter what I tried. I took Xanax, over-the-counter antihistamines, downloaded meditation apps, etc. I was literally on the verge of the end of my life until my parents forced me to go to a behavioral health hospital. At intake, I was in the worst shape of my life, lost so much weight, and looked like a complete paranoid schizophrenic out of his mind. The psychiatrist told me that they were going to give me something to knock me out, and I asked what. She said Seroquel, and I asked what kind of drug is that, and she said an antipsychotic. I took 100 mg and sure enough, I finally got rest. It did take a while to get back to normal again, about a month, but I really believe if I hadn't been given this drug, it would have been the end of me."

10 / 10
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459 Report
  • Sle...
  • January 2, 2021

"I was prescribed Quetiapine 25 mg for insomnia, however, I found out that it is not a sleeping pill because it’s for depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety. It has sedative side effects, so I guess that’s why it was prescribed to me for sleep. This pill causes me to sleep half the day and feel like a zombie the other half of the day. I don’t know how anyone can take this and work or take care of any responsibilities. I told my doctor that I can’t take this. Very disappointing that she prescribed this for me."

1 / 10
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384 Report
  • You...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • February 10, 2021

"This medication was prescribed after I tapered off of Klonopin and could not sleep. I had weight gain at first but only because the doctor had me taking 200 mg. I tapered down to 25 mg and lost all the weight and still slept great. In fact, I felt much better on the lower dose and slept deeper. I had nightmares and sleep paralysis at the higher dose. It also helped my anxiety without feeling groggy the day after. I even take a half of the 25 mg to help soothe my anxiety. It’s been a game changer for me."

9 / 10
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339 Report
  • Ins...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • January 29, 2021

"I went on Seroquel 6 years ago because I mentioned to my psychiatrist on a visit that I wasn’t sleeping well. She prescribed 150 ER, and it knocked me out at night. And reading the other reviews, I get what they are saying about the next day drowsiness. I'm now up to 300 mg ER, but I have to take it 3 hours before I go to sleep so it times out right. HOWEVER, even though it says it’s not addictive, I cannot sleep without it. I don’t want to be on sleeping medications forever. I’ve gone 5 days with no sleep when trying to quit. DO NOT TAKE! They are lying about its dependency!"

1 / 10
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334 Report
  • Eda...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • February 25, 2020

"I have been taking quetiapine for more than 15 years for bipolar, but especially for insomnia. Lately, my brain feels sick and tired, and sometimes anxious all too often. I tried stopping taking the quetiapine, but it is absolutely impossible to sleep without it. I am taking 200mg, which is necessary. I understand that I can go insane without adequate sleep. My doctor up till now has not given me a solution. Do you have any suggestions I could try as I am caught between a rock and a hard place."

10 / 10
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352 Report
  • SRa...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • December 2, 2020

"After trying MANY sleep remedies (Natural and prescription), I tried Seroquel as a last resort. This is the only thing that has worked for me!! I only take 12.5 mg and have no ill side effects. I am so very thankful my doctor suggested this. It helps turn off all the worry during the night so I can sleep 8-9 hours. A true miracle!"

10 / 10
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267 Report
  • Jac...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • February 14, 2021

"I’ve been taking quetiapine for over 3 years, and it absolutely has helped me sleep. I began on a 25mg dosage but self-reduced the pills to a quarter dosage to wean myself off of them about 3 months into my prescription. What worries me is that if I forget to take my little 6.25mg portion of the pill, then I wake up after 2 hours of sleep each and every time. After trying for 3 or 4 days, I become so tired that I start using them again. These work well, just too well."

8 / 10
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251 Report
  • All...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • February 2, 2021

"5 years on Trazodone and quetiapine for sleep. 50mg-75... A month ago, I decided to start the process, with my doctor's approval, to decrease my dosage. 37.5mg for 3 weeks, 4 weeks later 12mg, 4 weeks later I'm done. Last night was the first night. Woke up 1.5 hours earlier. And a little out of sorts. But I know this will pass. The traz, I'm on 1/2 tab, soon I'll be off of that. It can be done. Put tabs of melatonin in the pill holder or bottle instead. You have to get off this stuff. And you will."

1 / 10
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249 Report
  • Mer...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • November 12, 2020

"I have been on Quetiapine for sleep for about 3 years. Started at a low dose but increased up to 200mg, which I have been on for about 2 years. I get sleepy about 20 minutes after my dose and can sleep a full 8 hours. It has been a complete game changer for me."

10 / 10
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251 Report
  • Rac...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • August 25, 2020

"After quitting my 20-year marijuana habit, I developed insomnia, and then I developed anxiety about the insomnia. 50 mg of Seroquel works for my insomnia every single night. I am so thankful for it. It usually takes 30 minutes to kick in. Been on it for 3 weeks."

10 / 10
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253 Report
  • Dev...
  • January 24, 2021

"I've been on it for a week and a half for insomnia. Taking 75 mg per night and helps with sleep but can often wake and not get back to sleep after only an hour. Have felt increased anxiety the next day which is worse than when I don't sleep at all. I haven't been diagnosed with any particular mental illness but would consider myself to have some form of PTSD. My thoughts are not normal and have increasingly intrusive thoughts and ruminations. Will be getting off this from today and hopefully on something that levels me out and helps me sleep. Strange how we all react so differently"

2 / 10
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215 Report
  • Dad...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • January 17, 2021

"Got prescribed this for sleep after trazodone failed to help. It is VERY powerful at the 25mg dose for me. Please let your psych know if you have frequent or strong side effects to medicine before using. It knocks me out and keeps me asleep, but makes me VERY groggy in the morning, like I am hungover, and makes me hungry while I'm getting drowsy. Be sure to go straight to bed after you take it to combat eating and risks of dizziness."

7 / 10
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208 Report
  • Cof...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • January 14, 2021

"Seroquel saved my life. Due to PTSD, I have had insomnia for over 7 years. It was so bad, I felt crazy and unstable. I contemplated suicide daily, and I couldn't function. I was finally able to sleep with Seroquel after trying everything else. Unfortunately, it made me gain a lot of weight, and I have very irregular periods. I don't want to continue long-term, but it does help me sleep at night. I could not function without it."

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198 Report
  • Lea...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 16, 2020

"After years of chronic insomnia, my GP prescribed 25mg of Quetiapine. It's been a miracle drug for me. Still waking in the night, but able to go back to sleep and get a full 8 hours. Godsend is all I can say :) Only weird thing is that I have a lot more vivid dreams - weird!"

9 / 10
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169 Report
  • Sad...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • June 6, 2021

"I have been taking the generic Seroquel for 3 months. I am up to a 50mg dose at night. It does make you have very vivid dreams, some scary lifelike, and I am a zombie most of the day. I get up maybe once and try to eat everything in the house too. Gaining weight!! I wonder if that will go away? Any thoughts on that? I do also take Klonopin and Effexor for panic attacks and depression. My doctor put me on the Seroquel for a mood stabilizer and sleep too. My mother took Seroquel XR for years. Her doctor took her off it because it made her a diabetic. She had a lot of trouble sleeping for months. I take the tablets only. Good luck to everyone."

10 / 10
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144 Report
  • kas...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • January 3, 2021

"I used to have really bad insomnia. I don't know the cause, but it made me sleep 7 hours in the span of three days. My mind was like a radio, nonstop playing and talking. When I took Seroquel for my bipolar disorder, I was super drowsy, and I could not wake up during the day. I started with 25 mg, but I noticed that I was getting sleep. Over time, I had to increase my dose to 300 mg to get good sleep. My body always gets used to meds, and I ended up increasing every time. I found that 300 mg was good to give me 8 or 9 hours of sleep at night. If I take it early, I can wake up early and feel well-rested for the next day. I noticed that if I need to wake up sooner, I lower my dose to 200 mg. The only downside to this medication is the weight gain. I would wake up in the middle of the night hungry and thirsty. I spoke with my doctor and tried Trazodone and Temazepam, but none worked better compared to Seroquel. Still a lifesaver."

10 / 10
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141 Report
  • vic...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • October 22, 2020

"Seroquel drug works wonders for my insomnia. It’s the only thing that’s ever worked for me and it also helps with my hallucinations. Only downside is that it makes weed completely ineffective (no tolerance and half a gram and you get no effects whatsoever). Still think it’s a fair trade-off if it means I can sleep and don’t have to worry about my psychotic symptoms though."

10 / 10
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134 Report
  • Lau...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • December 29, 2020

"I’ve had trouble sleeping for so long. My issue is that I can’t fall asleep, but when I do, I sleep without it being disturbed. It has caused me so many issues when I have to go somewhere in the morning, and I haven’t slept, not even for a minute. And when I don’t get sleep, I have muscle spasms, I vomit, etc. So it is very important I get my sleep every night. I also have anxiety, and I was prescribed this medication to help calm down my anxiety, and unfortunately, like every other medication I have tried, it doesn’t calm down my anxiety. However, it makes me so sleepy and puts me to sleep. Not straight away. But it is so amazing. It has helped my insomnia so well, and I love it."

7 / 10
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124 Report
  • cha...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • December 15, 2020

"I have been on quetiapine 50 mg a night for almost a year. It has helped me sleep, which I am truly grateful for. I do think I rely on this drug now and feel like I won’t ever get off it. The only negative side effect is my memory is awful, I have to write everything down."

10 / 10
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119 Report
  • Toi...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 2, 2021

"I'm on a very small dose of Seroquel. The side effects are really horrible. I need to use my glasses all day because I keep making spelling errors, and it does not affect my pain medication (morphine sulfate)."

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117 Report
Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.