Current and former ecstasy users report different sleep to matched controls: a web-based questionnaire study.
This study sought to test the association between ecstasy-use and abnormal sleep. An anonymous web-based questionnaire containing questions on drug use and sleep was completed by 1035 individuals. From this large sample, a group of 89 ecstasy users were found who reported very little use of other drugs. This "ecstasy-only" group was further divided into two groups of 31 current users and 58 abstinent users. The subjective sleep of current and former ecstasy-only users was compared with that of matched controls. Patients were asked to rate their sleep according to: 1) sleep quality, 2) sleep latency, 3) night time awakenings and 4) total sleep time. Current ecstasy-only users reported significantly worse sleep quality (P < 0.05) and a greater total sleep time (P < 0.001) than controls. It was inferred that these differences might be due to recovery from the acute effects of the drug. Abstinent ecstasy-only users reported significantly more nighttime awakenings than controls (P < 0.01). These subjective findings are in agreement with the objective findings of previous studies showing persistent sleep abnormalities in ecstasy users.
Psychopharmacology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. r.carhart-harris@bris.ac.uk
R L
RL
Carhart-Harris
D J
DJ
Nutt
M
M
Munafò
S J
SJ
Wilson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000633:toxicity; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D006213:Hallucinogens; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine