(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

When I started taking antidepressants, loads of people warned me about making sure I took my pills at ‘the right time’.

There was my friend who told me they always took their pills first thing in the morning, because if they took them too late they’d be up all night.

Then there was my colleague, who said her antidepressants knocked her right out as a fix for her insomnia. So she always took them at around 9pm.

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I started taking them at lunchtime, purely because I knew I’d remember to down a pill when I’m also shovelling down soup or a sandwich.




But I noticed that I kept feeling awake well past my bedtime, running on six hours of sleep each night.

I’m now taking my meds at the same time as I take my contraceptive pill – just before bed. And they seem to be working well.

But all the conflicting information had me wondering: is there a ‘right’ time to take antidepressants? And does the time you take them have an impact not only on side effects, but how the pills themselves work?

I decided to talk to psychiatrist Dr Cosmo Hallstrom to get a definitive answer.

(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

‘It does not really matter when you take your antidepressants, providing you take them every day,’ Cosmo told metro.co.uk.

Cosmo explains that finding the ‘right’ time to take antidepressants is down to your specific medication brand and how it reacts with your body.

‘If they make you feel drowsy, then take them before going to bed,’ he says. ‘If they make you feel a bit speedy then take them in the morning to help you through the day.

‘Some antidepressants are quite sedative, others a little uplifting and some neutral. So take them in a way that suits you.’

So it’s really about paying attention to how you feel and choosing a time that works best for you.

(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

Of course, the time you choose also needs to easily fit into a routine so you never forget to take important meds.

‘The important thing is to take them every day, as the effect takes time to build up,’ explains Cosmo. ‘Get into a routine of taking them regularly.

‘Ideally take them at around the same time each day. That way the medication can build up in a steady way to have the best effect.

‘If you develop a routine, then it is easier to remember to take them.

‘Night time is often easiest to remember.’

It’s also worth noting that side effects you experience when you start taking antidepressants may not last forever. They might make you feel drowsy a few weeks in to taking the pills, but that might lessen as time goes on.

(Picture: Liberty Antonia Sadler)

If you’re experiencing side effects that are significantly impacting your day, mind you, you need to bring that up with your doctor – don’t just try to fix things yourself by swapping around the time you take your pill.



‘Side effects come on early and diminish in time whereas the benefit does not occur for a few weeks, so it is worth persisting, as the side effects wear off and the benefit kicks in in time.

‘If you get side effects, then look for ways of reducing the side effects.

‘If you feel sedated, then take them before going to sleep. If you have a hangover effect, then take them and hour or so before going to bed. If you really feel side effects from the medication, then try spacing the doses out over time.

(Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)

‘If the side effects are bad then take advice from your doctor.

‘The bottom line is that antidepressants should not have bad side effects. If they do then try and persevere as they may wear off in a few days.

‘If there is a problem, then talk to your doctor about it. Don’t just stop them and consider it a failure of treatment.

‘They take time to work and when you take them should be at a time to suit you.’

So, just to recap, there’s no right or wrong time to take your antidepressants. As long as you’re taking them regularly at around the same time each day, you’re sorted.

Listen to your body and mind, track how you’re feeling, and choose a time that works for you. Simple.

MORE: Two months into taking antidepressants, here’s how I feel

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