Little evidence of effectiveness of antidepressants for insomnia in adults

There are only a small number of studies with short‐term follow‐up on the use of antidepressants for managing primary insomnia. These provide only equivocal data supporting short‐term use (weeks rather than months) for some tricyclic antidepressants (doxepin in low dose) and for trazodone, but no evidence to support long‐term use. There is no evidence for amitriptyline despite its common use in clinical practice, or to support long‐term antidepressant use for insomnia. Current research evidence does not support the widespread practice of prescribing antidepressants for insomnia.