⚠️This fact has been debunked
Research shows smokers who quit experience sleep disruptions and withdrawal-related insomnia, not reduced sleep requirements. Up to 80% of people quitting smoking experience sleep disturbances that worsen during cessation. There's no scientific evidence supporting the claim that former smokers need one hour less sleep.
The average person who stops smoking requires one hour less sleep a night.
Does Quitting Smoking Reduce Sleep Needs? The Truth
You might have heard that people who quit smoking need one hour less sleep per night. It sounds convenient—kick the habit and gain an extra hour each day? Unfortunately, this popular claim doesn't hold up to scientific scrutiny. In fact, the relationship between smoking cessation and sleep is far more complicated.
What Really Happens to Sleep When You Quit
When smokers quit, they don't suddenly need less sleep—they struggle to get good sleep. Research shows that up to 80% of people quitting smoking experience sleep disturbances that actually become worse during the cessation process. Insomnia affects up to 42% of abstinent smokers during withdrawal.
The worst symptoms typically occur 2-3 days after quitting, with daytime tiredness slowly improving over the first 20 days. This isn't a reduction in sleep needs—it's withdrawal.
Why Nicotine Messes With Your Sleep
Smokers are almost 50% more likely to experience sleep troubles than non-smokers. Here's why:
- Nicotine changes how the body moves through sleep stages
- Smokers spend more time in light sleep, less in deep restorative sleep
- Cigarette smokers are four times as likely as nonsmokers to feel unrested after sleeping
- Nightly nicotine withdrawal between cigarettes contributes to restless sleep
During active smoking, nicotine acts as a stimulant that disrupts normal sleep architecture, reducing slow-wave sleep and REM sleep quality.
The Withdrawal Paradox
When you quit smoking, your sleep initially gets worse, not better. Studies show increased arousal and wake time during nicotine withdrawal compared to when actively smoking. Sleep disturbances are particularly intense during the first 4 weeks of quitting and significantly increase relapse risk.
Smokers who relapse show less REM sleep and more severe sleep impairments during withdrawal attempts. Poor sleep quality becomes a vicious cycle—it's strongly associated with reduced confidence in quitting and higher likelihood of returning to cigarettes.
The Good News
While there's no magical reduction in sleep requirements, sleep quality does eventually improve after quitting. Once you get through the initial withdrawal period, former smokers experience better sleep architecture, more time in deep sleep stages, and improved overall rest compared to when they were smoking.
Some research shows that nicotine replacement therapy can help with post-cessation improvements in sleep quality, including reduced sleep fragmentation. However, the idea that you'll permanently need an hour less sleep? That's pure myth.