Sedation as a Side Effect of the Treatment of Mental Disorders

Many patients with schizophrenia experience disturbances in their sleep-wake cycle, which may be a result of the disorder itself, of pharmacotherapy, or of a comorbid sleep disorder. These sleep disruptions can seriously impair patients’ functioning as well as their quality of life. Therefore, accurate assessment of sleep problems is essential to appropriately treat patients and promote symptomatic remission. The sedative versus therapeutic effects of atypical antipsychotics should be considered in the risk-benefit analysis performed before and while medicating patients.