Does Buspar Make You Tired?
In the FDA trials, drowsiness on buspirone was about as common as on placebo, but some people do feel tired or dizzy.
By withClaro Editorial · 2026-11-02 · 4 min read
Clinical section reviewed by Dr. Jason Tan , Consultant Psychiatrist, on October 27, 2026.
Key takeaways In the FDA trials, drowsiness affected 10% of people on buspirone against 9% on placebo. Dizziness was much more common than on placebo, 12% against 3%, and can feel like tiredness. In Reddit threads picked because they were about tiredness, 57 of 68 people on buspirone said they felt tired or sleepy, so this shows what it is like, not how often. Buspirone peaks in the blood 40 to 90 minutes after a dose and food raises that peak; when tiredness hits hasn't been studied, so note the time and whether you ate. On this page
What 68 people on Reddit said about tiredness on Buspar Why can Buspar make you tired? What should you tell your prescriber about tiredness on Buspar? Does buspirone make you tired? It doesn't usually cause much more drowsiness than a placebo: in the FDA trials, drowsiness affected 10% of people on buspirone against 9% on placebo. Dizziness had a bigger gap, 12% against 3%, and lightheadedness affected 3%, with none on placebo. Some people still feel tired. Buspirone is an anti-anxiety medicine, not an antidepressant, so what is known about tiredness on antidepressants doesn't carry over directly.
What 68 people on Reddit said about tiredness on Buspar
Of 68 people, 57 said they felt tired or sleepy on buspirone, and 11 didn't or felt wired instead. These threads were chosen because they were about tiredness, so the numbers show what tiredness looks like when it happens, not how often. We read 92 recent threads about tiredness where people discussed buspirone, comments included, and these 68 people described their own experience. Our count didn't separate dizziness from tiredness.
One person on Reddit wrote:
I try not to take mine too close to bed because although it does make me sleepy it doesn’t help me stay asleep and I feel it can make me have weird dreams.
Another had the opposite experience:
Currently on buspirone and LOVE IT. No fatigue at all.
Why can Buspar make you tired? Medically reviewed by Dr. Jason Tan on October 27, 2026, this section only.
People describe it as heavy, foggy, wanting to lie down, and dizziness can feel the same way. Buspirone is less sedating than other anti-anxiety medicines, the label says, but its levels peak about 40 to 90 minutes after a dose; whether drowsiness comes with that peak hasn't been studied, which is why noting the time helps. Its exact mechanism is unknown; in lab studies it binds strongly to a type of serotonin receptor, 5-HT1A, and moderately to dopamine D2 receptors.
Food matters here. Taken with food, buspirone's peak level rose by about 116% in a small study, so a dose after a big meal can hit harder. The label asks you to take it the same way each time, always with food or always without. MedlinePlus says not to drink alcohol on buspirone because it adds to the drowsiness, while the label says formal studies found no added impairment but still advises against combining them. MedlinePlus also lists fatigue and weakness among its side effects. The clinical view:
When it lasts, it can come from the medication, from depression itself or from poor sleep.
What can help:
- regular sleep, daylight and light activity, rather than extra caffeine - not driving or using machinery if you feel drowsy ## Does tiredness on Buspar go away?
There is little research on it. On Reddit, of the 57 who felt tired, only 14 said how it went over time: 10 said it faded and 4 were still tired. If it lasts or comes with low motivation and feeling flat, tell your prescriber. Putting up with it and stopping are not the only options; what fits depends on you and your dose. How long buspirone takes to help is covered in how long Buspar takes to work .
What should you tell your prescriber about tiredness on Buspar?
Tell your prescriber when in the day the tiredness hits and how it relates to your doses. It helps to tell them:
Your dose and the times you take it. Whether you take it with food or without, since food raises the peak level. Dizziness or lightheadedness after a dose. How you sleep at night. Other medicines that make you sleepy. More on doses in Buspar dosage .
Download on the App Store Tiredness on Buspar can follow each dose. The withClaro app lets you log energy, sleep and side effects each day, linked to your dose, and turns it into a report for your prescriber.
Frequently asked questions Is it better to take buspirone at night? It's usually taken two or three times a day, so there is no single night dose. If drowsiness after one dose is the problem, note which one and ask your prescriber whether the timing can change.
Can food make buspirone tiredness worse? It can. Food raised buspirone's peak level by about 116% in a small study. Take it the same way each time, and note whether tiredness is worse after doses taken with a meal.
Can buspirone cause insomnia? Insomnia was as common as on placebo in the trials, but one person on Reddit said a late dose disturbed their sleep. Note what time your last dose is and how you slept, and bring that to your prescriber.
Can I drive on buspirone? Not until you know how it affects you: MedlinePlus says not to drive or operate machinery until then, and the label advises caution because its effect varies between people. If you get dizzy, note how long after a dose it comes.
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More about buspirone Same topic, other medications
Sources BUSPIRONE HYDROCHLORIDE tablets prescribing information, US Food and Drug Administration via DailyMed MedlinePlus: Buspirone Claro articles are for self-monitoring and educational purposes only. They are not a medical device, therapist, or diagnostic tool, and do not replace care from your prescribing clinician. If you are in crisis, contact your care team, emergency services, the Samaritans (UK: 116 123), or the Crisis Text Line (US: text HOME to 741741).