Nicotine and Sleep Apnea: The Complex Relationship Between Smoking and Disordered Breathing
Smoking increases the risk of sleep apnea—and sleep apnea makes smoking harder to quit. The relationship is bidirectional, clinically significant, and almost never discussed in cessation support. Treating sleep disorders should be part of cessation care.
Smoking inflames the upper airway, increasing the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea fragments sleep, increasing daytime fatigue, stress, and craving. The nicotine-sleep apnea relationship is bidirectional: smoking worsens sleep apnea, and sleep apnea makes smoking harder to quit. **Treating sleep disorders should be part of smoking cessation care—particularly for smokers who report snoring, daytime sleepiness, or unrefreshing sleep. The smoker who can't quit because they're exhausted all the time may need a CPAP machine, not more willpower.**
