Smoking causes sleeping problems

Smokers are four times more likely to wake up feeling tired than non-smokers, new research has revealed.

A study carried out by a university in Baltimore, America, suggests people who smoke find it harder to get to sleep and spend less time in deep sleep.

The reason? Because they are suffering from nicotine withdrawal.

Dr. Naresh M. Punjabi said: “It is possible that smoking has time-dependent effects across the sleep period.

“Smokers commonly experience difficulty falling asleep due to the stimulating effects of nicotine.

“As night evolves, withdrawal from nicotine may further contribute to sleep disturbance.”

The research carried out at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine focused on the sleeping patterns of 80 people, split in half between smokers and non-smokers.

Almost a quarter of the people who smoke reported sleeping problems, compared to only 5% of the sample of non-smokers.

The biggest problems occurred in the early stages of sleep.

Dr Punjabi said: “Many smokers have difficulty with smoking cessation partly because of the sleep disturbances as a result of nicotine withdrawal.

“By understanding the temporal effects of nicotine on sleep, we may be able to better tailor nicotine replacement to minimise the withdrawal effects that smokers experience, particularly during sleep.”

Sources: Softpedia
Physorg.com

Pic: morguefile@medvedev.com.ua