Cocaine and sleep are incompatible states, as alertness is in fact one of the desired effects of the drug. Hence, one of the first observable changes in cocaine use is a gradual reduction of nighttime hours spent sleeping, followed by disrupted nighttime rest and eventually nights with no sleep at all. In other words, by the time someone actively seeks to remedy their chronic lack of sleep, the patterns are already firmly established.
However, the disruption also frequently persists long after the cessation of cocaine use. Even when the individual feels sufficiently recovered, they might still experience difficulties sleeping due to a persistent inability to relax fully. In fact, the majority of the damage is done during these wakeful nighttime hours.
Why Sleep Will Not Come
During nighttime, there is a complex mechanism which makes a person feel tired and prepares their body to rest. These processes are disrupted due to cocaine’s effects as a stimulant. Hence, even when the person manages to lie down in bed during nighttime, the preparations for sleep — which include reduction of core body temperature, release of certain neurohormones and activation of various areas in the hypothalamus — are interrupted.
It is impossible to artificially accelerate this process: the soundest course of action is to wait in a dark and cool room until sleep comes. Alcohol, sleeping pills and other drugs are all detrimental to the person’s wellbeing because they create a double dependency: once someone manages to fall asleep due to these substances, they tend to need higher doses of them to combat cocaine’s effects. Furthermore, the depressant effect of alcohol and sleeping pills works against the stimulating effects of cocaine, leaving the heart handling opposing demands at once. If a person can only sleep with the help of a substance, that dependence has become part of the problem too.
Cocaine Use Symptoms
Changes in the sleeping and eating patterns are among the early signs of cocaine use. Weight loss, irritability, emotional instability and withdrawal from social interactions are also common. However, extended periods of sleep are also frequently observed, particularly if the person used cocaine throughout the night without interruption. One of the peculiar manifestations of cocaine misuse is the oscillation between extreme drowsiness and being unable to sleep at all. This pattern is most commonly observed during active episodes of drug use, but it may also persist during the so-called crash, when the person has finally fallen asleep but is unable to wake up properly in the morning.
Cocaine and Sleep Problems
The drug disrupts the natural circadian rhythm of the body, particularly in regards to the sleep-wakefulness cycle. Some of these disruptions are explained by the effect on dopamine receptors which cocaine has, but others are poorly understood.
Furthermore, sleep is when the body repairs itself at a cellular level; the disruption of this process can lead to hypertension, weakened immune system and cardiovascular diseases, as well as emotional instability and cognitive decline. Many of the psychological symptoms which are commonly associated with cocaine addiction, such as anxiety and depression, are also brought on by the disrupted sleep patterns and can occur independently even when cocaine use has ceased.
Sleep and the First Months of Recovery
Sleep is commonly among the last aspects of human wellbeing to return to normal after cocaine use. It is also frequently among the first to go. The reason why it needs to be prioritized even during the early stages of recovery is simple: without it, the person is much more irritable and prone to developing cravings. Treatment programs which neglect this aspect of the addiction often have to deal with relapses which could have been prevented by addressing the insomnia separately.
When It Has Stopped Being Occasional
Among the common symptoms of cocaine withdrawal listed by Covenant Hills are fatigue, depression, and impaired concentration. There are also more direct manifestations of the sleep disruption, such as the characteristic crashes which occur both after heavy cocaine use and during withdrawal. Insomnia is one of these, alongside anxiety and depression. The latter two frequently occur as a result of disrupted circadian rhythms and should be addressed accordingly even when cocaine use has ceased.
Christian-Based Cocaine Addiction Treatment at Covenant Hills
Covenant Hills Treatment Center in San Juan Capistrano has been offering Christ-centered addiction treatment in Orange County for over three decades. Our cocaine rehab program addresses the physical addiction from your body while also strengthening the emotional, nutritional, social, fitness and spiritual components. Our levels of care run from detox through residential inpatient treatment, day treatment, intensive outpatient and transitional care to after-care, according to each client’s needs.
Our faith-based and traditional cocaine addiction treatment tracks are available for those who wish to follow the twelve-step program as well as for those who prefer to avoid spirituality-related aspects of treatment. If medical detoxification is warranted, the client may be transferred to an affiliated medical facility where that stage can commence with the help of medical staff.
If your nights have recently begun to get longer, make sure to contact Covenant Hills or call 844-268-8412.
