Why it’s better not to have a cigarette before going to bed
Even we sleep specialists can’t beat one sleep killer: Nicotine. As a recent study by the Charité hospital in Berlin revealed, sleep disorders caused by smoking are more widespread than previously thought.
Sleep is important for our body. It regenerates and refreshes us, replenishes our energy stores and boosts our performance. We all know how we feel after a night with far too little sleep: we are tired, listless, unfocussed and a good mood is all too often a foreign concept at such times.
Smokers sleep worse
Some morning grouchiness has a reason.
Smokers have this problem of difficulty getting up in the morning much more often than non-smokers, because they sleep much worse than non-smokers. A study by the Charité hospital in Berlin examined and compared the sleeping behaviour of 1,100 smokers and 1,200 non-smokers and came to sobering conclusions.
A quarter of smokers complain of noticeably restless sleep. 17 per cent of smokers even sleep less than six hours a night. Due to the lack of quality and restorative sleep, smokers are much less able to regenerate during the night. They feel tired and exhausted after getting up and are less focussed and less productive during the rest of the day.
Become a non-smoker and sleep better
The situation is different for non-smokers. According to the study, only 7 per cent of non-smokers suffered from sleep disorders and only 19 per cent slept restlessly at night. In comparison: A full 28 per cent of smokers had serious difficulties sleeping through the night.
But why is that? It is assumed that the stimulating properties of nicotine deprive the body of sleep and therefore rest. However, the study also mentions that there are other factors that can influence sleep: Lack of exercise, alcohol consumption, stress or watching television for long periods of time also have a negative effect on sleep quality, as do illnesses such as depression, diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular disorders.
However, the researchers at the Charité hospital in Berlin assume that nicotine is primarily responsible for the sleep problems of smokers. It is possible that not only the stimulating factors of nicotine play a role here, but also the withdrawal symptoms that smokers go through during the night.
Smoking before sleep: it’s the quantity that counts
According to the study, the severity of sleep problems in smokers correlates with the number of cigarettes smokers consume during the day. Heavy smokers, i.e. people who are heavily addicted to nicotine, sleep significantly worse than those who only puff on a few cigarettes during the day. However, regardless of whether they smoke many or few cigarettes, even light smokers do not sleep as well as non-smokers.
If you value good, restful sleep, if you need to be productive and focussed in everyday life and at work, we therefore advise you not only to buy high-quality bedding, but also to give up smoking. What could be better than a really good night’s sleep? Because a good day starts at night!
