Smoking and vaping can cause poor sleep

It’s well known that a good night’s sleep contributes to your physical and mental health, and your overall happiness.¹ 

But what is less known is that smoking and vaping can reduce both how much you sleep and the quality of the sleep you get, harming your health. 

Smoking and sleep

Recent studies² show that people who smoke are nearly 50 per cent³ more likely to have sleep problems than people who don’t smoke. 

Smoking even a few cigarettes a day⁴ means consuming nicotine and other harmful chemicals that cause significant physical effects that harm your sleep.² These include increasing sleep apnoea⁵— the abrupt stopping of breathing whilst sleeping — lowering your oxygen levels.⁵ The nicotine withdrawal also keeps you in only light sleep.⁶ 

If you smoke, you are likely to: 

• Sleep fewer hours.⁷  

• Be less likely to fall into the deep, ‘restorative’ sleep that helps your body regain its energy.  

The risk of these problems increases the more you smoke.^{4 8} 

Vaping and sleep

 New research shows that vaping also causes many of these same problems. In a recent study, teenagers who vaped were 1.33 times more likely to not get enough sleep.⁹  

Nicotine withdrawal when you are trying to sleep can create a sleep-debt spiral by keeping you awake. This can mean you feel tired, which can make you want to vape more, worsening the problem. 

Quit smoking and vaping for better rest

The good news is you’ll sleep better if you quit. When you quit smoking or vaping, you're no longer inhaling the nicotine and other toxic chemicals in the smoke and aerosol that can cause these sleep problems. 

Quitting can feel challenging, but Quit is here to help you: 

Chat with Quitline 

Quitline counsellors can offer you free advice and support to help you stop smoking or vaping. They can help you build and keep up your motivation, create a plan that works for you, and guide and encourage you along the way. Quitline counsellors can also support you if you are using vapes to stop smoking. 

There are multiple ways to contact Quitline, including by phone on 13 7848, the online request a callback form, webchat, WhatsApp and more. Hit the button below for more detail:  

Use the My QuitBuddy app

My QuitBuddy is an app that helps people get, and stay, smoke-free and vape-free. It provides helpful tips and distractions to overcome cravings and tracking systems to chart progress. My QuitBuddy gives the facts people need to understand the impacts smoking and vaping have on someone's health. 

Please note, this information is for general use only.  Please consult your health professional for further advice.  

If you would like to provide feedback, please contact quit@quit.org.au 

Last updated October 2024