How Does Nicotine Affect Dreams?

Ever used a snus or nicotine pouch to wind down in the evening, then drifted off to sleep shortly after and had weird dreams? This is actually a well-documented experience, with many nicotine and tobacco users reporting heightened, vivid dreams.

It’s one of the many ways nicotine affects the body, alongside the metabolism and increased heart rate. In this article, we’ll cover the mechanisms behind nicotine’s impact on dreams and sleep, along with some guidance on how to reduce its impact.

How Nicotine Impacts Dreams

Nicotine suppresses something called ponto-geniculo-occipital (PGO) waves. These are brain signals that peak before we enter the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep stage, which is when the brain is most active — and when most dreams occur. While the precise role of PGO waves is still being studied, they’re believed to contribute to creating the visuals and imagery in dreams.

One reason this happens may be because nicotine imitates a brain chemical called acetylcholine, which is involved in dreaming and alertness. Nicotine can then hijack the system to boost brain activity and wakefulness exactly when we should be resting.

These mechanisms don't produce the same result in everyone. But below, we've highlighted some of the most commonly reported outcomes.

Nicotine and Lucid Dreams

Since nicotine imitates acetylcholine, it increases brain activity during REM sleep, and the brain struggles to differentiate between dream and waking states. This can lead to more “lucid” dreams (dreams in which you're aware you're dreaming).

Many report feeling more in control of their body and mind when dreaming after using nicotine. Not great for a restful night’s sleep, but successful lucid dreaming could be an unexpected perk for a minority of users!

It should be noted that nicotine isn't universally viewed as a helpful tool for lucid dreaming, however. The kind of wakefulness described can affect sleep quality, which is needed for sustainable lucid dreaming. Also, the impact can vary a lot depending on the person.

Nicotine and Dream Intensity

One study found that those who used nicotine patches had more vivid dreams and woke up more during the night compared to those wearing placebo patches with no nicotine. Often, intense dreams mean nightmares.

As an example of what we’re talking about, here’s a quote from a Vice article on nicotine dreaming:

“I had a dream where I was in Afghanistan and I had to hitch a ride on the back of a truck, but I ended up on a trailer that was on top of another trailer. I had to sit on that and hold some chains, to keep them together. And I lost part of my foot, it got gashed off, but I couldn’t yell because there was too much noise, and I couldn’t let go of the chain to signal anyone because I would have fallen off.”

Still, the impact is different for everyone. While some people report crazy dreams, others just find that they have a more restless sleep and wake up more often, or that nicotine stops them from sleeping altogether.

Nicotine and Sleep Quality

Perhaps unsurprisingly, having nightmares doesn’t result in a great night’s sleep. Often, people find themselves drifting in and out of consciousness or waking frequently through the night if they use nicotine.

One study that focused on cigarette users found that smokers have poorer sleep quality than non-smokers and even former smokers. There is limited information on the impact of nicotine pouches or snus, but it’s reasonable to assume a similar effect.

How to Reduce the Impact of Nicotine on Sleep

Given that nicotine can disrupt dreams and sleep, most people are probably thinking “count me out” rather than “sign me up.”

The natural conclusion might be that it’s best to avoid nicotine altogether to improve sleep and dreams. But that’s not necessarily the case — at least not for those who are already heavy nicotine users and looking for immediate relief. Withdrawing from nicotine famously causes sleep disruption and insomnia (although this phase will eventually pass).

In the short term, the wisest way to minimize disruption is to use nicotine as little and as long before sleeping as possible — ideally at least four hours before hitting the pillow.

Besides, avoiding falling asleep with snus or nicotine pouches is a good idea. Doing so can cause unwanted side effects like gum irritation, since portions stay in for longer than they should.

What if There’s a Deeper Meaning?

For those who are prepared to embrace the weird and wacky, we’ve got something special to finish on.

The origins of tobacco lie in America, where it had spiritual uses for indigenous people and during ceremonies. For instance, the Yaminawa use tobacco to promote dreaming, alongside ayahuasca.

So for all we know, maybe those annoying nightmares could have a deeper meaning.

Funnily enough, two of the intellectuals best known for studying dreams, The Interpretation of Dreams author Sigmund Freud and master of dream symbolism Carl Jung, were both heavy tobacco users. Admittedly, this might have more to do with the fact they were alive during the heyday of tobacco rather than being a massive coincidence.