Do Cigars Affect Your Sleep?
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Smoking cigars can be delightful; however, they can harm the smoker’s stamina and energy level. Cigars can make people easily fatigued or even nauseous if they go beyond their cigar limits. Most people are curious to know if cigars will affect their sleep at night and the impact of heavy cigar smoking on sleep quality.
A common belief about smoking cigars is that it contributes to sleep apnea, sleep fragmentation, insomnia, and snoring. How true are these claims, and how can you enjoy a good night’s sleep after smoking?
The answers to these and more will be discussed extensively in this article. Keep reading to know how cigars affect your sleep and how to avoid sleep issues after smoking cigars.
Why Do Cigars Affect Your Sleep?
Smoking cigars can harm your sleep and can reduce the overall quality of your sleep in several ways. This is because of nicotine’s effects, which is one of the active ingredients found in almost all tobacco products. The extent of the damage that a cigar causes to your sleep is largely dependent on how many cigars you smoke daily when you smoke the cigars and how often you smoke them.
Nicotine functions as a stimulant, so when you smoke shortly before going to bed, it will be difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep for long, or get enough sleep throughout the night. Some people, however, have reported that smoking aids in sleeping.
This means that while smoking can enhance relaxation and relieve anxiety in some people, it can cause restlessness and difficulty sleeping in others. Their bodies react to cigars as stimulants. Smoking cigars is often linked with a change in sleep architecture, which refers to the basic sleep pattern.
Sleep architecture is the structure of the stages of sleeping that people experience at night. Smoking can influence fragmented sleep in people, which can then lead to insomnia. Several studies conducted on sleep and cigar smoking prove that it takes smokers a longer time to fall asleep, they sleep for shorter periods, and they are less likely to sleep deep.
Can Cigars Cause Insomnia?
Insomnia is one of the many results of smoking cigars. It is typically caused by a variety of medical conditions and habits.
Considering that nicotine, an active ingredient in cigars, is an effective stimulant, people who smoke cigars can quickly develop insomnia if they smoke too frequently or shortly before bedtime.
Also, some evidence has shown that smoking can trigger sleep apnea and snoring in people.
The cigar smoke emits irritants that can cause the airways to swell, especially around the lining of the throat and nose. The damage to the lung can lead to a series of other problems while also causing a reduction in the oxygen level.
On its part, the airway swelling can cause a change in the flow of air, which will prompt vibrations in sleep that will eventually lead to snoring. Besides, the airway can collapse as a result of sleep apnea. Even people who do not smoke but are exposed to secondhand smoke can also battle some of these complications.
Tips For Cigar Smokers To Sleep Better
Here are some tips to help cigar smokers sleep well at night.
Your Choice of Cigar
When choosing your cigar, ensure to go for cigars of good quality. Considering that cigars are meant to the enjoyed slowly, you should take your time and savor your cigar.
The smoke from a cigar consists of several blends and flavors; therefore, you should relax and enjoy the wealth of flavor it contains. Smoking premium cigars at a slow pace and ensuring that you aren’t inhaling the smell is the best way to avoid sleep problems.
Your Sleep Environment
Your sleep environment also affects your overall sleep structure. It is essential to ensure comfort in your sleeping space. If you have aches after waking, it could be a problem with your mattress; consider changing it for a more comfortable one in other to get a good night’s sleep.
Also, check your sleeping position. It is best to get comfortable and maintain a sleeping posture that wouldn’t disrupt your sleep.
Asides from changing your sleeping posture and environment, it is also vital you put away all gadgets such as tv, tablets, computer, and phone. This will help you relax and fall asleep naturally. It would be best if you did not take a cigar to bed because constantly indulging in cigars before bedtime will affect your sleep in more negative ways than one.
Bottom Line
Smoking and sleep are tightly linked because of the effect that the content of cigars has on smokers. However, you can still enjoy your rest, even as a cigar smoker.
The most important thing is to avoid smoking cigars before going to bed and ensuring that your sleeping environment is conducive. By adhering to the tips given in this article, you are on your way to enjoying your sleep all through the night.
I have been smoking cigars for 30 years and counting, I started at 18 years old with mild Cubans and worked my way up to medium and now bold. I own 4 humidors, that I try to keep stocked at all times.
