Trazodone Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide

Trazodone is an antidepressant that’s FDA-approved to treat major depressive disorder. But it’s most commonly prescribed to help people sleep, even though it’s not approved for this reason.

In this guide, we’ll review common trazodone dosages. We’ll also talk about when you might need a lower dose than what’s typically recommended.

What’s the typical trazodone dosage for adults?

The best trazodone dosage for you depends on what you’re treating and how well you tolerate the medication. Trazodone is available as an oral tablet. It comes in the following doses:

• 50 mg

• 100 mg

• 150 mg

• 300 mg

Keep in mind: Trazodone isn’t approved for use in children, though it's sometimes prescribed off-label for kids. In this article, we’ll only discuss trazodone dosage recommendations for adults.

Depression

The starting trazodone dosage for depression is 150 mg per day in divided doses. For example, your starting trazodone dosage may be 50 mg three times a day.

From there, your healthcare provider may increase your dosage by 50 mg per day every 3 to 4 days. The maximum daily dosage is 400 mg per day. The best dosage for you depends on how well you respond to trazodone and whether you’re experiencing any side effects. 

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If your depression symptoms don’t improve with your initial trazodone regimen, you may need a higher dose. But if you’re experiencing bothersome side effects — such as dizziness, dry mouth, and blurry vision — your dose may need to be lowered. But don’t make any changes without talking to your healthcare provider first.

Your provider may also recommend taking a larger dose at night and a smaller dose in the morning to avoid daytime drowsiness. For example, if your total daily dose is 250 mg, you may take 100 mg in the morning and 150 mg at night.

Good to know: While trazodone is classified as an antidepressant, it’s not often used for this reason. It’s not recommended by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America or the American Psychological Association for treating depression. However, it’s listed as a medication option in the depression guidelines for the American Psychiatric Association and the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense. Drowsiness and other side effects tend to limit trazodone’s use for depression. But for some people, drowsiness may be a benefit if your depression is causing trouble sleeping (insomnia).

Insomnia (off-label use)

The typical trazodone dosage for insomnia is usually between 25 mg and 100 mg before bedtime. This is a lower dose than what’s recommended for depression because the sedating effect of trazodone still exists at lower doses.

As mentioned, treating insomnia is an off-label use of trazodone. Some studies have shown that trazodone is effective at treating insomnia. But other research hasn’t found that the benefits of trazodone outweigh the risks. And it's not recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine or the American College of Physicians for treating insomnia. Still, it may have fewer risks than other prescription sleep medications, such as zolpidem (Ambien). 

In general, trazodone for insomnia is meant to be used for a short period of time only. Your healthcare provider can let you know how long they expect you to take it.

Good to know: Trazodone usually works quickly, within about 30 minutes. But this may vary from person to person. Taking trazodone 30 minutes before bedtime is a good place to start. If you find it takes longer for trazodone to kick in, you may want to try taking it even earlier (about 1 to 2 hours before bedtime). Just make sure you aren’t feeling excessively sleepy or dizzy while you’re still finishing your daily activities.

Are there any dosage adjustments for health conditions?

If you’re an older adult or you take certain other medications, typical trazodone dosages may not be best for you. Make sure your healthcare provider knows your full medical history before starting trazodone. And give your provider and pharmacist a list of all the medications and over-the-counter (OTC) products you take. This will help them choose the best trazodone dosage for you.

Dosage for older adults

Adults who are 65 and older may take longer to get rid of trazodone in the body. So it may be safer to take lower trazodone dosages. Your healthcare provider may limit your total daily dose to 25 mg to 50 mg.

Dosage for possible drug interactions

Trazodone has many possible drug interactions. Some medications affect how trazodone is metabolized (broken down).

For example, certain medications can increase trazodone levels in the body and increase your risk of side effects. These include ketoconazole, fluconazole (Diflucan), and verapamil. Other medications and supplements can decrease trazodone levels, making it less effective. These include carbamazepine (Tegretol, Tegretol XR), phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), and St. John’s wort.

It’s hard to keep track of every medication that can interact with trazodone. So make sure your healthcare provider and pharmacist know all the medications and OTC products you take. If necessary, they’ll use this information to adjust your trazodone dosage. 

What happens if you miss a dose of trazodone?

If you forget to take one of your trazodone dosages, take it as soon as you remember — unless your next scheduled dose is coming up soon. In that case, skip your missed dose. It’s safer to skip a dose than to double up on trazodone dosages.

If you miss multiple trazodone dosages in a row and you’ve taken it for a while, you may experience antidepressant withdrawal. This can cause symptoms such as headache, nausea, and anxiety. If you experience any of these symptoms, let your healthcare provider know. And consider trying some strategies to help you remember to take your medication, including setting reminders on your phone or utilizing medication reminder apps.

What should you do if you take too much trazodone?

Taking extra trazodone increases your risk of excessive drowsiness and dizziness. More seriously, it can cause priapism (prolonged erection of the penis), breathing problems, and heart problems. 

If you’ve taken too much trazodone, contact your healthcare provider immediately. If your symptoms feel severe, such as trouble breathing, extreme confusion, or vomiting, contact Poison Control online or at 1-800-222-1222 or seek immediate medical care.

Good to know: Other medications that cause sedation, such as opioids and benzodiazepines, can increase your risk of side effects from trazodone. Drinking alcohol with trazodone can also be dangerous. It’s best to avoid these medications, and drinking alcohol, while taking trazodone.

How to save on trazodone

GoodRx may be able to help you save over 50% off the average retail price of trazodone tablets. Thirty tablets of trazodone 50 mg may be as low as $4.20 with a free GoodRx coupon.

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Written by:

Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS

Amy Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. Amy currently holds her pharmacist license in Georgia and California.

Reviewed by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

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