We hear about the numerous risks of smoking on a daily basis but now research has presented tobacco-users with yet another disadvantage to sparking up.
Researchers say smokers may get fewer, and less restful, hours of sleep than non-smokers.
The study found that of nearly 1,100 smokers surveyed, 17 per cent got fewer than six hours of sleep each night and 28 per cent reported a “disturbed” sleep quality.
This was compared to the significant difference of 7 per cent and 19 per cent of non-smokers reporting the same snooze negatives.
Lead researcher Stefan Cohrs, from Charite Berlin medical school in Germany said; “This study demonstrates for the first time an elevated prevalence of sleep disturbance in smokers compared with non-smokers in a population without lifetime history of psychiatric disorders even after controlling for potentially relevant risk factors.”
He also said the findings cannot prove that smoking directly impairs sleep, since smokers may have other habits that could affect their snooze factor, like staying up late to watch TV or getting little exercise.
But Cohrs said there could be reason to believe the stimulating effects of nicotine may be to blame on the participants’ sleeping habits.
“If you smoke and you do suffer from sleep problems, it is another good reason to quit smoking,” Mr Cohrs said.
And it’s not just for the case of a few z’s, previous studies have related poor sleep quality to health problems like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
The researchers in this study used a questionnaire that gauges sleep quality without asking direct obvious questions.
In total, more than one-quarter of smokers had a score that landed them in the category of “disturbed sleep”, meaning they had a high probability of insomnia.
Many other things can affect sleep quality such as your age, weight and alcohol abuse.
Cohrs said he thinks the most likely culprit in this study is nicotine and said the prospect of better sleep could provide smokers with an additional reason to quit.
If you are suffering from a lack of snooze, try out some of these expert tips.
