Having difficulties in getting a good night’s sleep every night or having problems in falling asleep can be one of the most common sleep disorders, known insomnia. Insomnia can happen to almost anyone and it can be caused by many different factors. Causative factors of Insomnia can be divided into three categories, which are “general factors”, “lifestyle factors”, and “environmental factors”. Under general factors are: stress, anxiety, extreme fluctuations or changes in the environmental temperature and abnormal sleeping cycles, while under Lifestyle factors are: intake of caffeinated products, misuse of sleeping medications and smoking. And the last factor is the environmental factor, which includes noise and light.
Nicotine:
Nicotine is a chemical that is commonly found in cigarettes and tobacco products. It is a powerful stimulant that can affect a person’s internal body clock that has effects on sleep. Nicotine once inhaled is rapidly absorbed by the body to the bloodstream through the lungs and mucous membranes in the buccal cavity, once nicotine is in the bloodstream, it will then be able to reach the brain in merely 8 seconds after inhalation of the cigarette. Nicotine once in the bloodstream can travel to all parts of the body, which can directly stimulate the organs, especially the heart, gastrointestinal tract, adrenal glands, and brain. It can cause an increase in the heart rate and blood pressure, which can produce harmful effects to the body.
Nicotine and Insomnia:
Most smokers claim that smoking cigarettes can provide a relaxing effect to their body, however, cigarettes, specifically nicotine does not relax the body, it stimulate the body and the mind, which can affect a person’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Since nicotine has effects to the adrenal glands, which induces release of adrenaline, a hormone that can help the body in meeting stress, it can affect a person’s natural sleeping cycles, which can cause insomnia.
Are Smokers Insomniacs?
Not all people who smoke are having problems with their sleeping cycles. However, people who smoke may experience problems with obtaining a normal deep sleep. Smokers and other people having insomnia do not take their sleeping problems serious. In fact, insomnia can put anyone at risk for developing other medical conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart problems. And short causes of insomnia include feeling exhausted during the day, which can result in having memory problems and it can make a person function less effectively and efficiently at work or school.
