Misuse and abuse of the drug has also been reported. Although positive sleep outcomes were reported, the researchers noted that gabapentin was not tolerated as well as placebo and some patients stopped taking it.
In a large review of 26 studies on gabapentin and sleep in patients with other medical conditions, the average dose taken daily was about 1,800 mg. In other studies, it appears that gabapentin may improve sleep in people with other medical conditions that make it more difficult to sleep, such as alcohol dependence, hot flashes and bipolar disorder.Two small studies showed that gabapentin may help people with primary insomnia and occasional sleep disturbance improve total sleep time and wakefulness in the morning.Most studies show that gabapentin improves slow wave sleep (“deep sleep”) and total sleep time. In people taking gabapentin for its approved conditions (certain epileptic seizures and postherpetic neuralgia), 19% of patients older than 12 years of age with epilepsy and 21% of patients with postherpetic neuralgia reported drowsiness as a side effect.One of the most common side effects of gabapentin is drowsiness.However, gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat a sleep disorder called restless legs syndrome (RLS). That may be why it has been prescribed for people with insomnia, even though it is not approved for that use. Gabapentin is a prescription medication that may help you sleep.
