How does nicotine influence sleep?

How does nicotine influence sleep?

• A. Nicotine increases sleep latency, reduces total sleep time, and increases awakenings; withdrawal worsens sleep with early morning awakenings
• B. Nicotine improves sleep efficiency and increases REM duration
• C. Nicotine has no effect on sleep
• D. Nicotine reduces awakenings and increases total sleep time

Answer: (A)

Nicotine acts as a central stimulant that increases arousal and sympathetic activity. That heightened wakefulness makes it harder to fall asleep, so sleep latency goes up, and it tends to shorten the total sleep time. Sleep becomes more fragmented, with more awakenings during the night. When nicotine is withdrawn, sleep tends to worsen further—people often wake early in the morning as nicotine levels are lowest and withdrawal symptoms peak. So the combination of longer time to fall asleep, less total sleep, more awakenings, and withdrawal-related early-morning awakenings best fits how nicotine affects sleep.

Nicotine acts as a central stimulant that increases arousal and sympathetic activity. That heightened wakefulness makes it harder to fall asleep, so sleep latency goes up, and it tends to shorten the total sleep time. Sleep becomes more fragmented, with more awakenings during the night. When nicotine is withdrawn, sleep tends to worsen further—people often wake early in the morning as nicotine levels are lowest and withdrawal symptoms peak. So the combination of longer time to fall asleep, less total sleep, more awakenings, and withdrawal-related early-morning awakenings best fits how nicotine affects sleep.