Because there are many different factors, and different ways to measure this, there is not yet a clear answer to the question, ‘how quitting smoking impacts sleep?’
Nicotine is a stimulant, and can lead to insomnia, but insomnia can also be a symptom of withdrawal from nicotine. Nicotine does appear to suppress dreaming, and this can ‘rebound’ when nicotine leaves the system. Nicotine has a half-life of 2 hours, so when thinking about your typical night sleep (8 hours or so), it could be marked as periods of withdrawal that may be interfering with the quality of sleep and your sleep wake cycle.
Impairments in sleep can cause a number of issues some being ability to: make reasonable decisions, think clearly, and be more productive. With chronic sleep deprivation it can impact heart heath, risk of diabetes, and put you at a greater risk for depression.
So for members of the EX community, it is important to get enough quality sleep to avoid making snap decisions when you may not be in the right head space. What are some of your favorite practices to make sure you are getting quality sleep?
Stay tuned for next week’s blog on Sleep Hygiene!
