Does Trazodone Help with Anxiety or Just Sleep?

Trazodone helps with both anxiety and sleep, though it's primarily prescribed as an antidepressant. Originally developed to treat depression, trazodone's sedating effects led to widespread off-label use for insomnia. Clinical studies show it can reduce anxiety symptoms in 60-70% of patients when used at therapeutic doses of 150-300mg daily. However, the lower doses typically prescribed for sleep (25-100mg) provide limited anti-anxiety benefits. The medication works by blocking serotonin reuptake and histamine receptors, which contributes to both its mood-stabilizing and sleep-inducing properties. For primary anxiety treatment, other medications like SSRIs or benzodiazepines are generally more effective first-line options.