Crosstalk between Sleep Disturbance and Opioid Use Disorder: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Recent studies have revealed a growing number of patients affected by opioid use disorders (OUDs).Comorbid disorders are suspected to increase the risk of opioid-related adverse effects or treatment failure.The correlation of opioid use with sleep disturbances has been reported in many different studies andsuggested to be linked to the brain regions involved in reward processing. This narrative review was intendedto discuss the most recent developments in our understanding of the intricate interaction between sleepdisturbance and OUD. In addition, in this study, the effects of sleep problems on the occurrence ofunpleasant consequences in addiction management, such as craving and relapse in OCD patients, werehighlighted. It has been shown that drug use may trigger the induction of sleep disturbances, and thosesuffering from difficulties in sleeping are prone to relapse to drug use, including opioids. Moreover,pharmaceutical sleep aids are likely to interfere with opiate use.

Keywords

• craving
• analgesics, opioid
• sleep aids, pharmaceutical
• recurrence
• sleep wake disorders