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Sleep Perception and Misperception in Chronic Cocaine Users During Abstinence
Sarah E Hodges1, Brian Pittman1, Peter T Morgan1
1Department of Psychiatry, Yale University,34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519.
Sleep
|April 2, 2017
Summary
Chronic cocaine users experience "occult insomnia," where their sleep objectively worsens but feels better. After two weeks of abstinence, they misperceive their sleep state, overestimating total sleep time.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Medicine
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Chronic cocaine use is associated with sleep disturbances.
- The phenomenon of "occult insomnia" describes objective sleep worsening perceived as improvement during abstinence.
- Previous research suggests a disconnect between subjective and objective sleep in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate positive sleep state misperception in chronic cocaine users during abstinence.
- To determine if subjective sleep quality aligns with objective sleep measures after cocaine cessation.
Main Methods:
- Forty-three cocaine-dependent individuals participated in a 12-day inpatient study.
- Polysomnography and sleep diary questionnaires were used to assess sleep.
- Sleep parameters were measured at one and two weeks of cocaine abstinence.
Main Results:
- Cocaine users accurately reported total sleep time after one week of abstinence.
- After two weeks of abstinence, participants overestimated total sleep time by approximately 40 minutes.
- This overestimation was primarily due to underestimating sleep latency and time awake after sleep onset.
Conclusions:
- Positive sleep state misperception is evident in chronic cocaine users by the second week of abstinence.
- This finding supports the concept of "occult insomnia" in individuals recovering from cocaine dependence.