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Sleep changes in smokers before, during and 3 months after nicotine withdrawal
Author(s) -
Jaehne Andreas,
Unbehaun Thomas,
Feige Bernd,
Cohrs Stefan,
Rodenbeck Andrea,
Schütz Anna-Lisa,
Uhl Verena,
Zober Alexander,
Riemann Dieter
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1111/adb.12151
Subject(s) - nicotine , nicotine withdrawal , sleep (system call) , abstinence , psychology , rapid eye movement sleep , non rapid eye movement sleep , sleep onset , smoking cessation , arousal , anesthesia , medicine , insomnia , psychiatry , electroencephalography , pathology , neuroscience , computer science , operating system
Nicotine may affect sleep by influencing sleep‐regulating neurotransmitters. Sleep disorders can increase the risk for depression and substance dependency. To detect the influence of sleep disturbances on the effect of smoking cessation, we investigated polysomnographically ( PSG ) the sleep of smoking subjects during a period of smoking, during withdrawal and after a period of abstinence from nicotine. Thirty‐three smokers (23 male, 10 female, median age 29 years, F agerström Test for Nicotine Dependence score 6.3) were examined during smoking, 24–36 hours after smoking and 3 months after cessation. All subjects had an adaptation night followed by the PSG night. Compared with the smoking state, we found increased arousal index and wake time during nicotine withdrawal. Smokers who later relapsed (11) presented a higher degree of nicotine dependence and more withdrawal symptoms than those who abstained (22) and were characterized by less rapid eye movement ( REM ) sleep, a longer REM latency as well as by more intense sleep impairments in the subjective sleep rating during the withdrawal. Impairments of sleep during the withdrawal phase may reflect more severe nicotine dependence and may contribute to earlier relapse into smoking behaviours.