Having a Hard Time Sleeping on Wegovy? Here’s the Connection Between Wegovy and Insomnia

If you’ve started taking Wegovy, you’ve likely noticed a lot of different changes in your body. And one of those changes might be your sleep pattern. Medications like Wegovy affect the mind and body in many ways. And researchers are still gathering information about the side effects. According to current data, experts don’t believe that Wegovy causes insomnia. So, why do people who take it report having a harder time sleeping? Here, we dive into the research.

Does Wegovy cause insomnia? 

The FDA does not list insomnia as an expected or reported side effect of Wegovy. But this doesn’t necessarily reflect peoples’ reported experiences.

One study looked at the self-reported side effects of people taking Wegovy and other GLP-1 agonists. Researchers found that people taking these medications reported insomnia more than researchers expected.

A different study looked at people’s side effects from Wegovy, as reported on a range of social media platforms. Researchers noted that insomnia and sleep improved for some people but got worse for others. 

But these studies were based on observation and anecdotal reports. A higher-quality review study looked at 81 studies on Wegovy and its effect on a variety of mental health symptoms. This review study didn’t find a link between Wegovy and insomnia.

But experts continue to study this issue. A recent experiment in rats found that drugs like Wegovy led to increased sleep quality and quantity. And some sleep medicine researchers even think that Wegovy could help to treat sleep disorders in the future. But we still need more research to better understand the connection.

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Sleep-related issues caused by semaglutide 

Even though Wegovy doesn’t cause insomnia, other side effects of the medication can affect your sleep, including:

• Stomach issues: Nausea, abdominal pain, and heartburn are all common side effects of Wegovy that can interfere with sleep. Heartburn, in particular, can often worsen at night.

• Intestinal issues: Diarrhea, constipation, and bloating can occur because Wegovy slows down digestion. And, if you take medications for insomnia, any diarrhea may decrease their absorption.

• Headaches: New headaches or worsening headaches are a common side effect that can lead to sleeplessness.

• Changes in blood sugar: Wegovy decreases blood sugar, especially in people with diabetes. Lower blood sugar can be hard on the body. It can negatively affect sleep quality and sleep patterns.

• Vivid dreams: Some people taking Wegovy have reported vivid dreams. These dreams can wake people up and make it harder to get back to sleep.

And, beyond side effects, weight loss itself can impact someone’s sleep.

How does weight loss contribute to sleep disturbance? 

Weight loss — no matter what’s causing it — leads to major changes in mental and physical health. And it’s possible that some of these may interfere with sleep. 

Researchers are still trying to understand how caloric restriction and weight loss affect sleep. There’s some evidence to show that reducing calories can improve sleep. But, a recent review of multiple studies on this issue found that sleep doesn’t improve with weight loss alone. Another study showed that fat loss, rather than weight loss, improved quality of sleep.

Other studies have shown that restrictive dieting — especially when it leads to weight cycling — can make sleep worse.

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How can you sleep better after starting Wegovy? 

Lifestyle changes can improve your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and awake refreshed. These changes are often referred to as sleep hygiene. If you’re having a hard time sleeping while on Wegovy, specific changes you can make include:

• Make dinner your smallest meal of the day and stop eating several hours before your bedtime. Eat a bigger meal at lunch, when your body still has hours to digest your food.

• Avoid caffeinated foods in the evening. Coffee, caffeinated soda, and even chocolate can keep you awake.

• Avoid fatty meats, aged cheeses, and starchy or processed foods, especially at night.

• If you’re taking other medications, talk to your healthcare team to make sure your evening medications aren’t keeping you awake.

• If you have heartburn, there are medications and home remedies that can help.

• Train your body to expect sleep. You can do this by following the same routine each night. This might include a shower, a relaxing activity, and even changing into pajamas around the same time each night. 

• Do your best to decrease screen time before bed, especially during your bedtime routine.