The effects of acute alcohol withdrawal on sleep

Abstract

Specific disturbances in sleep are experienced prior to and during acute alcohol withdrawal, suggesting that tailored interventions may be effective in the treatment of sleep deficits during these periods.

Actigraphy assessment of motor activity and sleep in patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome and the effects of intranasal oxytocin

“…We did not investigate self-reported sleep or state of mood in the period prior to detoxification; therefore, we could not evaluate whether there was a sudden change in sleep or mood pattern. A previous trial on alcohol withdrawal and sleep in institutional detoxification [24] showed that poor sleep quality and insomnia were common in these patients, also prior to admission. The authors of that article discussed whether these symptoms were caused by a high alcohol intake or previous anxiety and/or depression, or if the mood alterations could be caused by insomnia [24].…”

“…Patients entering detoxification generally report sleep disturbances. In one study, all patients showed poor sleep efficiency (range of sleep efficiency 76-91%), as measured by actigraphy during acute withdrawal [24], a value previously measured to 94% in non-dependent participants [39]. The cut-off value for sleep efficiency has been recommended to be set to 92% [39].…”

“…We did not examine associations with caffeine use during detoxification, as these data were not available. Caffeine affects sleep in general [40,41], although conflicting evidence exists on its influence on sleep during alcohol detoxification [24].…”

“…Actigraphy is a non-invasive, recognized tool for measuring motor activity, rest and sleep [22,23], and the use of actigraphy can provide a better understanding of the motor activity and sleep patterns in AWS [24]. To our knowledge, no previous studies have used actigraphy to assess changes in motor activity and sleep in this setting.…”

Sleep disturbance in clients attending a specialist addiction clinic

“…Sleep is a major concern in those attending detoxification 5,6 and can impede treatment and recovery. 2 Hodges et al 5 reported that sleep problems were common among clients prior to admission for detoxification, with >95% scoring above clinical cut-offs for poor sleep quality, and 75% reporting severe insomnia. The most disrupted components in this setting were sleep disturbances, daytime dysfunction, and sleep quality.…”