Unraveling the Link Between Poor Sleep and Nicotine

Regular smokers often struggle with sleep and may find it challenging to achieve a full eight hours, even if they once did so easily.

Yes, there is a significant connection between smoking and sleep quality. 

Many people may not realise that nicotine provides a temporary boost of energy, which can mask feelings of tiredness and hunger. 

For some smokers, the addiction can be so intense that they wake up during the night with cravings for a cigarette, leading them to light up even when they should be resting.

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Now, we’ll explore how nicotine contributes to sleep deprivation and the various issues smokers face when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep.

Nicotine’s Effects on Sleep and Tiredness

If you’re a smoker or know someone who smokes regularly, you may be aware that nicotine masks your true feelings of tiredness by providing a temporary energy boost. 

This is also why some smokers may appear thinner; nicotine can suppress appetite, making it easier to ignore hunger pangs.

You’re likely familiar with the withdrawal symptoms that arise a few hours after smoking a cigarette. For some individuals, these withdrawal symptoms can persist through the night, causing them to wake up craving a cigarette.

Research has shown that smoking is a major contributor to sleep apnea. 

So, if you or your partner find yourselves snoring loudly at night, it may be time to take a step back and consider quitting the habit for the sake of your sleep—and your health.

Will Quitting Smoking Improve Sleep?

When you finally quit smoking for good, you’ll find that those nightly cravings for a cigarette will disappear, and you may even alleviate issues like sleep apnea. 

A helpful tip for easing out of the habit is to replace your daily cigarette with a productive hobby. Engaging in something enjoyable can significantly improve your overall sleep quality.

However, it’s important to manage your expectations. The first few weeks after you stop smoking might not bring about drastic improvements in your sleep. 

In fact, during the initial stages of smoking cessation, you may wake up feeling irritable, upset, and even nauseous due to the absence of nicotine in your system.

But just hold on—after about two weeks to a month, you are likely to notice significant improvements in the quality of your sleep.

Other Factors That Affect Sleep Aside From Nicotine

Nicotine may not be the only reason you find yourself tossing and turning at night. Taking a look at your evening routine might help you spot other things that could be keeping you up at night.

For example, having coffee along with your cigarettes can really keep you awake longer than you planned.

Remember that caffeine is a powerful stimulant, and when mixed with nicotine, it can make the prospect of falling asleep nearly impossible.

To encourage better sleep, you might consider confining your caffeine intake to the morning hours.

Another potential disruptor of your sleep could be the regular consumption of wine or other alcoholic drinks in the evening.

Drinking alcohol frequently can lead to increased trips to the bathroom during the night and may contribute to insomnia, particularly if you tend to drink heavily. 

Also, ​​if you’re on the path to quitting smoking, consuming alcohol can significantly increase the likelihood of a relapse.

You might not even be aware of it, but if you tend to eat within an hour of going to bed, this could also lead to disturbances in your sleep.

Eating late can result in frequent bathroom visits or an upset stomach, which might disrupt your slumber. 

While some people manage to sleep soundly despite these habits, they may still find themselves waking up several hours into the night.

Can Smoking Cause Insomnia?

Studies have shown that cigarette smoking and nicotine will worsen your insomnia. Nicotine stimulation and cravings will disrupt your sleep. If you drink and smoke frequently, stopping both activities will significantly improve your sleep quality.

How To Sleep When Quitting Smoking 

The key to handling insomnia after stopping smoking is to establish good sleep habits. Here are some suggestions to help you sleep and stay on track with quitting: 

• Make sure your bedroom is a comfortable, cool and dark environment that will promote sleep and relaxation. 
• Set a good routine for yourself by getting up and going to bed at the same time each day. 
• Create a soothing night time ritual to help your body wind down and prepare for sleep. This could include practising mindfulness, taking a warm bath, reading or writing in a journal.  
• Avoid screens at least an hour before your bedtime. It’s a good idea to keep devices, like phones, out of the bedroom so you can give yourself the best chance at improving your sleep after you quit.  
• Maintain regular physical activity throughout the day and try not to eat heavy meals or consume alcohol before you go to sleep.

Make sure to be kind to yourself throughout this process by finding feel-good ways to pat yourself on the back for staying smoke-free. 

Whether it’s going out for a nice dinner or treating yourself to a massage, you deserve to reward yourself for your achievements.

It’s Easier to Quit Smoking Today

Quitting smoking is the most effective and proven way to improve your sleep quality. If you think it’s hard to stop smoking, a tailor-made smoking cessation programme makes the entire process much easier.

GPs can create a programme suited to your specific needs, including the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products to help curb the strong withdrawals and cravings you’ll experience.

While NRT products work well for some motivated smokers trying to quit, others might need an alternative. Pharmacy nicotine vaping products (NVPs) are a second-line means to stop smoking that your GP might prescribe, if first-line treatments aren’t working for you.

Unlike illicit vapes, NVP products sold in pharmacies are made under stringent pharmaceutical standards on the manufacturing process and ingredients, are toxicologically assessed for inhalation, are locally insured, and are specifically designed to help you stop smoking. 

The latest Cochrane Review found high-certainty evidence that NVPs are more effective than NRT in helping people stop smoking, helping many smokers to quit successfully and have better sleep quality.

Summary

You can drastically improve your sleep quality by quitting smoking. Nicotine in cigarettes will continue to disrupt your sleep, weakening your body and leaving you unfocused. By quitting now, you don’t only improve your sleep, but you also make yourself and everyone around you healthier and happier.

We hope you learned more about the relationship between smoking and sleep in this post. There are so many benefits to quitting smoking if you get started. You can learn more about them here.

Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around! 

If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to  Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.

Link Reference:

• https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-6929-4
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8078854/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4251622/
• https://www.statcare.us/blog/the-link-between-insomnia-and-smoking-cigarettes
• https://www.henryford.com/blog/2018/03/connection-between-sleep-nicotine
• https://www.cochrane.org/news/latest-cochrane-review-finds-high-certainty-evidence-nicotine-e-cigarettes-are-more-effective