The Overnight Nicotine Withdrawal Problem
As any smoker will know, the first cigarette of a morning is a crucial one. It's also usually the cigarette that most smokers 'need' the most, as their nicotine fix wears off as they sleep, leaving them particularly desperate for a cigarette upon waking.
Knowing this, however, is no great assistance to a smoker who is trying to quit. Just knowing why they are so desperate for a cigarette when they first wake up is no use - and many smokers cite the "early morning craving" as a fundamental reason why they're attempts to quit fail. So here's a quick guide on how you can avoid the same trap, and make mornings that little bit more bearable again - without cigarettes:
- Use through-the-night nicotine patches.
Nicotine patches, unlike gum or nasal sprays, can be worn overnight. You can purchased (or be prescribed) patches that are especially designed to work overnight, slowly releasing nicotine even while you sleep. They tend to be designed to stick to the skin more rigorously, so even if you roll in your sleep they won't become dislodged. By wearing one of these patches, you shouldn't suffer that same burst of nicotine craving when you wake up, as you won't have gone without it for so long.
- Brush your teeth.
If you cannot - or do not want to - use these special patches, then brushing your teeth as soon as you wake up has been reported to help quiet a craving. The same can be said of eating, or chewing gum. Anything to distract your mouth, essentially.