There are many side-effects associated with nicotine withdrawals but it might surprise you to know that sleep disturbances are a real concern because without enough sleep, your levels of irritation and patience will be much lower and daily stresses and strains will be harder to deal with. In addition, you are less likely to be able to concentrate when tired, so these withdrawal side-effects could be much more far reaching than you might have considered.
Some people are able to sleep much heavier during the nicotine withdrawal stage which for many people is a welcome preference although it can make you feel groggy and afford you less clarity but there are those who really struggle to get to sleep and to stay asleep so this is something to consider when giving up smoking. Insomnia can be difficult to cope with and because the withdrawal symptoms can be quite erratic, you might find it useful to change over to smoking electronic cigarettes. They do contain nicotine, (mostly) but you will find it much easier to reduce the amount that you smoke as opposed to those traditional cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes do not contain any of the 4000+ toxic chemicals either so they are instantly a healthier option.
Typically, electronic cigarettes require you to smoke less and this is because you get a much quicker and faster hit of nicotine than you would with a typical cigarette. Because of this, you might not even need the equivalent of a full cigarette whereas, you might smoke two or three of traditional cigarettes by comparison. So these can certainly help you with your nicotine withdrawal symptoms and potentially help you to avoid insomnia. Electronic cigarettes can certainly help pave the way to a future with no smoking, because it’s a gentler reduction in nicotine so worth considering.
But assuming that you just want to give up smoking and to get the withdrawal and side effects out of the way, well there are options that can help you to counteract the negative aspects of sleep deprivation and at least enable you to have a fighting chance of nodding off at the right time.
Firstly, take a nice warm bath before going to bed. You can pop some drops of essential oil into the water to aid relaxation. Lavender is good for sleep but you can use any that you prefer. Stop drinking caffeine before bedtime as caffeine is a stimulant and it won’t help you to achieve restful sleep. Have a cup of herbal tea instead. You will find some that are produced as a sleep aid but you can also try chamomile as it is renowned for its relaxation properties.
A warm milk with a little honey is very soothing and especially at bed-time. It is rich in Ltryptophan and this helps the neurotransmitters to produce serotonin. Try eating carbohydrate along with your milky drink as this maximises the impact of the Ltryptophan on your system.
If this doesn’t help, you could try reading a good book once you go to bed, and providing you can lose yourself within the first few pages, the chances are that you will be completely zonked out before you get to the 5th or 6th page. If you don’t like reading, then listen to some soft and soothing music or guided visualizations as these are excellent to boost your relaxation response. Meditation is a wonderful resource to help you wind down, if you prefer to meditate without a guided CD, lie down on your bed, focus on your in and out breath and slow down your thoughts. Try visualizing a beautiful scene, one that you know quite well and imagine that you are on the outskirts of the scene looking in. Try to absorb the imagery as if you have only just noticed it for the first time. Continue with this until you start feeling relaxed and then let yourself go. Sleep will soon come.
It can be hard to stick to the straight and narrow and to avoid cigarettes when you are not feeling much like yourself. A lack of sleep can really impact your life but just remember that it’s likely to be a short term problem because once you have your withdrawal symptoms under control, you are likely to be able to start sleeping again without much problem. Nicotine may have a strong grip on you now but it’s a war that you can overcome.
Stick to your previously established sleeping pattern regardless of how tired you are, and try to refrain from taking naps as this can really throw a spanner in the works and make it harder to re-establish. In just a short couple of weeks, you could be smoke-free and sleeping like a baby.
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