What effect does nicotine have on sleep?

What effect does nicotine have on sleep?

• A. Wakefulness
• B. REM
• C. Sleep latency
• D. SWS

Answer: (A)

Nicotine acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system, activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and increasing the release of catecholamines like norepinephrine and dopamine. This pushes the brain toward a higher level of arousal, making it harder to fall asleep and more likely to stay awake. In sleep, nicotine tends to fragment sleep and reduce certain stages such as REM and slow-wave sleep, but the most direct and prominent effect is an overall increase in wakefulness. So the best description of nicotine’s impact on sleep is that it promotes wakefulness, rather than specifically altering a single sleep stage or the time it takes to fall asleep.

Nicotine acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system, activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and increasing the release of catecholamines like norepinephrine and dopamine. This pushes the brain toward a higher level of arousal, making it harder to fall asleep and more likely to stay awake. In sleep, nicotine tends to fragment sleep and reduce certain stages such as REM and slow-wave sleep, but the most direct and prominent effect is an overall increase in wakefulness. So the best description of nicotine’s impact on sleep is that it promotes wakefulness, rather than specifically altering a single sleep stage or the time it takes to fall asleep.