Historically, I was getting them overseas (20mg) and then cutting into ~2.5-5mg.
However, its just been simpler/cheaper, and probably safer to get them prescribed domestically. I just got mine through Amazon OneMedical, and did the intake thorugh the AI bot, and was prescribed the 2.5mg.
You can get 2.5mg from Maulik.
How does trazadone help with recovery?
Marginal.
Context: I have some periods where my sleep suffers (overtraining, travel, work stress) due to cortisol spikes, creating early-morning insomnia. When this happens, trazodone is one of the levers I use to support recovery.
I use trazodone very sparingly - typically less than 1ā2 days a month. Iāll only take it if I have an 8.5-hour window for sleep.
Unlike most sleep medications, trazodone actually increases deep (slow-wave) sleep, though it suppresses REM a bit. So itās not a proven recovery benefit, and treat it as supportive.
Overall, I was on the fence about including it in the stack, but since itās used infrequently, Iāve kept it in.
Thanks for the breakdown!
should a male take pregnenolone without DHEA?
crabgrass, I very seldom use Trazodone for sleep even though it is very effective. 25 mg is effective for me, but I just hate the way it makes me feel the next day. Have you found any solution? Or, maybe you donāt suffer with decreased mood and energy the next day.
Jay, have you checked out this thread on all the options for different sleep medications, supplements etc? Sleep supplements: what is most effective, least habit forming, and safest?
Also, FYI:
Sleep pharmacology must be evaluated by objective changes in macro-architecture (stage distribution) and micro-architecture (spectral power density, spindle density, and slow-wave activity). Traditional sedatives achieve sleep onset via global central nervous system depression, which actively degrades sleep quality. Modern approaches target specific wake-promoting pathways to preserve homeostatic sleep structures.
| Drug Class / Compound | Impact on Slow-Wave Sleep (N3) | Impact on REM Sleep | Micro-Architecture Alterations | Physiological / Longevity Implications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonists (DORAs) (e.g., Daridorexant, Lemborexant) | Preserved to Enhanced | Preserved to Enhanced | Maintains baseline delta, alpha, and beta power spectral bands; preserves spindle integrity. | Preserves glymphatic waste clearance; low risk of motor ataxia or rebound insomnia. |
| Trazodone (Low-dose: 25ā100 mg) | Significantly Increased | Preserved to Minimally Reduced | Enhances slow-wave activity power density via 5-HT2A blockade; maintains macro-structure. | Promotes deep-stage glymphatic clearance; risk of orthostatic hypotension via alpha-1 blockade; next-day grogginess. |
| Low-Dose H1 Antagonists (e.g., Doxepin 3ā6 mg) | Preserved | Preserved | Avoids the REM-suppressing effects seen with higher-dose tricyclics. | Manages late-night sleep fragmentation driven by early morning histamine surges. |
| GABA-A Receptor Modulators (e.g., Zolpidem, Eszopiclone, Benzodiazepines) | Significantly Decreased | Suppressed | Distorts power spectrum; increases high-frequency beta power; destroys sleep spindles. | Impairs memory consolidation; suppresses glymphatic clearance; carries high tolerance, dependence, and fall risks. |
DORAs represent the most physiologically sound class of sleep medications currently available. Rather than inducing widespread neuronal inhibition via the GABAergic system, DORAs competitively block the binding of wake-promoting neuropeptides (Orexin-A and Orexin-B) to Orexin-1 (OX1R) and Orexin-2 (OX2R) receptors in the lateral hypothalamus.
Physiological Utility: Preservation of N3 slow-wave sleep is mandatory for the biophysical functioning of the glymphatic systemāthe convective fluid exchange that clears toxic aggregates like amyloid-beta and tau from the brain parenchyma.
Though classified as a Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI) and approved for major depressive disorder at doses of 150 to 300 mg, low-dose trazodone is widely utilized off-label as a hypnotic.
Scholarly Debate and Knowledge Gaps: There is a conflict between structural improvement and functional outcomes. Preclinical data suggests that monoaminergic receptor blockade by trazodone can impair sleep-dependent cortical plasticity and memory consolidation, proving that a normalized EEG profile does not guarantee normal cognitive processing. Conversely, long-term observational human cohorts show a 2.6-fold slower decline in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores among regular low-dose users. Definite proof requires the completion of the ongoing REST Phase 2 clinical trial (NCT05282550) to determine if this N3 enhancement objectively reduces parenchymal amyloid accumulation and stops cognitive decline in humans.
While high-dose tricyclic antidepressants act as dirty drugs with severe anticholinergic side effects, low-dose Doxepin (3 mg to 6 mg) acts as a highly selective histamine H1 receptor antagonist.
Benzodiazepines (e.g., temazepam) and non-benzodiazepine Z-drugs (e.g., zolpidem, eszopiclone) are highly effective at forcing sleep onset but act as architectural disruptors.
If cost and insurance coverage are not factors, Daridorexant (50 mg) provides the cleanest physiological profile because it addresses hyperarousal without altering natural sleep stage transitions or causing next-day hangover effects.
Low-dose Trazodone (25ā50 mg) is the primary alternative for expanding deep slow-wave sleep, but it carries a penalty of potential morning grogginess and alpha-1 mediated blood pressure drops. GABA-A modulators should be restricted to short-term crisis management; their chronic use is fundamentally incompatible with neuroprotective longevity goals.
I have same issue and donāt have a great solution for it. I have tried high and low doses and result is about the same. I try to not use it, unless I am having a streak of bad sleep, and I need to help reset recovery
Thanks for the summary. Yes, Iāve tried all of these and more.
H1 antagonists seem to work best for me, but the main drawback is their next-day side effects. Among the off-label medications used for insomnia, mirtazapine has been the most tolerable. Although it causes some next-day drowsiness, it doesnāt produce the low mood that I experience with trazodone. Its residual drowsiness is also less pronounced than with doxepin.
The DORAs would seem to be the best option, but unfortunately they donāt appear to have any effect on me.
Diphenhydramine remains on my list of sleep aids despite its anticholinergic effects because, unlike many other options, it does not cause next-day sleepiness for me. So, I do use it as well as mirtazapine.
Beth:
I still submit that our diet is more important. Thereās so much discord in peopleās supplement and drug list that it makes me focus more on diet. Thereās a good source: NutritionFacts.org. This guy emphasizes functional food more than supplements. Sign up for his twice-weekly videos.
Ha, I must admit the better my labs get and the better I feel, the worse my diet becomes!!!
As Iāve shared, I used to feel meh with ginormous glucose spikes and runaway cholesterol. It had me eating an almost perfect diet out of fear (the only lever I knew about at the time). My diet is still better than most, but itās no longer only beans and kale! And yes, I may or may not have had life-changing pie at a 4th party yesterday 
Growing up in the 60s, my mom made all of our food. We ate out maybe twice a year. But that diet was heavy in red meat and fiberless (soulless) starch. That was an inauspicious start. But today I apply my OCD to diet. I make sure I consume 30-40 kinds of whole plant food every day. In my estimation, 60-70% of our leverage is in our daily diet. I am taking fewer supplements and taking them less often.
I added two things very recently to my stack that honestly have helped my sleep more than i have seen in a long time.
1g Taurine before bed. I thought (from energy drinks), that this would keep me up. It appears to help support sleep as well. At a minimum it is not hurting sleep - I take it with magnesium and glycine about 30 mins before bed and fall asleep right away.
HGH (2 iu before bed). This is at least arguably counter longevity, and HGH + Rapa may null out some of the benefits of each other . But at least for me has allowed me to stay asleep much longer and also achieve more REM / deeper (based on tracker). Staying asleep has always been my issue.
HGH It has also helped from a recovery standpoint as well (although I could attribute it to just sleeping better - I donāt really know). I wonāt try to justify that itās good longer term, but for my short experiment sleep gains have been awesome.
Taurine appears to have been added to counteract high dose caffeine side effects.
Iāve been doing up to 6g a night. Very effective.
When I wake up in the middle of the night, I often take 3 gr taurine. That dose always makes me go back to restful sleep.
When I wake up I take another dose. Usually between 6-8 gr. That dose makes me feel good during the day.
I have fullly underestimated the power of taurine. Need to read up a lot more.
Too short of a window, but since I started taking it (along with HGH, so Iāve already muddied the waters too much for a controlled experiment), my RHR dropped 7-9 beats / minute.
Not Glycine?
Yes I use Taurine when/if I wake up during the night