E-cigarettes worsen sleep quality and mental health in young people, study suggests

E-cigarette use has a significant impact on sleep quality and anxiety levels in young people, suggests new research from the University of Surrey published in the academic journal health care. Mindfulness was also found to help young people reduce the risk of vaping.

Researchers in Surrey investigated the relationship between e-cigarette use, sleep quality and mental health in young people aged 18 to 25. Researchers also looked at how e-cigarettes were associated with loneliness and mindfulness, which can increase emotional regulation. They also studied rumination, which involves repeating thoughts or thinking about negative emotions.

Researchers found that e-cigarette users had significantly lower sleep quality than non-e-cigarette users, with more than three-quarters showing symptoms of insomnia. Nicotine’s stimulant properties may contribute to this lack of sleep. Lack of sleep may also increase e-cigarette use as a way to compensate for daytime lethargy.

Dr Simon Evans, Lecturer in Neuroscience at the University of Surrey, said: ‘It’s now common to see young people vaping and with the advent of vape shops these products are becoming more readily available. “The temptation to buy is increasing. What are the concerns?” The problem is that many people are not aware of the dangers of such products or simply discount them, believing that anything with a “fruity” taste is not harmful.

“This is not the case, as the nicotine found in products is known to have negative effects on brain development and can induce behaviors that increase the risk of developing substance abuse problems.”

E-cigarette use among youth has increased significantly over the past decade, but not enough is known about its effects. To learn more, researchers surveyed 316 participants (263 who did not vape, 49 who did vape) about their vaping habits, sleep quality, and mental health. did. Importantly, anxiety levels were found to be elevated in the e-cigarette group, with 95.9% of users classified as having clinical anxiety symptoms.

The researchers also found that 73.5% of people who smoked e-cigarettes were night owls (“night owls”), compared to just 40% of people who didn’t smoke. Vape users also reported higher levels of loneliness. Previous research has shown that young people who tend to stay up late often have lower social support, so this feeling of loneliness may be related to their tendency to stay up late. there is.

For the first time, the researchers also examined levels of mindfulness and rumination. They found that e-cigarette users had significantly lower levels of mindfulness and higher levels of rumination than non-users. This suggests that mindfulness training may help protect young people from e-cigarette use. Conversely, people with high levels of rumination may be vaping as a means of self-medicating their distress.

Dr Evans added: “E-cigarettes affect all areas of physical and mental health. Lack of sleep not only affects young people’s daily lives, but in the long term can lead to heart disease and diabetes. In this study, we found an alarming link between e-cigarette use and anxiety symptoms, suggesting that people who use e-cigarettes to relieve anxiety may find it difficult to sleep afterwards, and in the long term. This can lead to a vicious cycle of worsening mood.

“However, the data show that interventions focused on mindfulness and combating rumination may help reduce e-cigarette use among youth.”