Getting enough sleep is usually posited as the remedy for what ails most people in recovery but it is truly a great way to support overall health. Too little sleep has been associated in studies with many health challenges both short and long-term. Find out what the connection between sleep and recovery is and how it may support a decrease in cravings.
Sleep and Recovery
A study on opioid withdrawal has been conducted regarding assessments of relapse risk. The participants completed medically-assisted opioid withdrawal and were clean 10 to 14 days prior to starting the study. For nearly two weeks, patients recorded details about sleep quality, mood, and level of drug cravings. The diaries were catalogued in a smartphone app. A preset alarm notified the patients to complete a survey four times a day, with the morning survey assessing sleep quality. The real-time data was streamed to a lab to monitor compliance and data quality. Researchers met with patients to answer and ask questions as well as to help manage technical challenges with the smartphone apps. When it was all compiled, researchers found some results that were fascinating. Patients with lower quality of sleep also experienced higher than usual drug cravings. The findings were published in a well-known journal of behavioral addiction, marking the first time researchers established a connection to mood, sleep, and cravings.
Why Zzz’s Matter
For people who are sleep deprived and not feeling well, this study may present some great support for people struggling. Negative thoughts bring even more negative thoughts and, before you know it, you’re less likely to care about staying clean or about your long-term future. Getting enough sleep is important and the findings demonstrate how sleep disturbance is a risk factor in drug addiction recovery. One of the challenges with opioid-related overdoses is trying to discern how best to help people who struggle with cravings. This significant finding can be of help to millions who suffer and are looking for relief from the risk of relapse. One of the best ways to cope with this is to fight back by sleeping more and getting better quality of sleep. Sometimes that is hard with life events going on or things that spin out of control before a person is able to get a grasp on them. However, it is key to keeping healthy but also staying in recovery long term.
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