Eli5: how come a smoker can sleep all through the night without their cravings waking them up? But as soon as they are awake they need to smoke!
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Being a former smoker, and my experience with other smokers, it’s almost entirely a mental addiction, not chemical. You associate it with good feelings, you associate it with taking a break. It’s something to do with yourself. Ever just walk outside and …. Stand there? Feels weird to simply stand there and do nothing. But now you have something to do, and a built-in timer for when it’s over. It’s a habit, and the brain likes simple habits that make you feel comfortable. And if it’s something you know you shouldn’t be doing, it’s even more enticing since we spend so much of our lives doing ‘the right thing’ and it gives you a sense of control – ironically. When kids start smoking, these habits get engrained into their psyche, and breaking them as adults can be really stressful.
Point being, when you’re sleeping, none of that matters. Sure someone might be in the top 3% of nicotine consumption and have physical withdrawals, but for most people it’s all in their head.
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