# Quit smoking. Now I'm tired all the time. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 7, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390 "2012-06-07T15:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390/21 "2013-05-16T19:40:59Z")
Agreed. It’s a side effect. Your body has been used to nicotine stimulants for years. Now it is deprived of that. It doesn’t know what to do and is tired. Sleep when you can and tough it out…Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![CarminPolitano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de053/32.png) [@CarminPolitano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarminPolitano)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390/22 "2014-06-08T02:24:36Z")
I “exercise” for a living. Customers say that they get worn out just watching me. My body can move, but every since I stopped smoking over 6 months ago, I feel sleepy ALL of the time. It is probably very good that I have always “exercised” for a living because I can’t imagine wanting to sleep this frequently AND having a body that heavily resists moving. Smoking is way worse than a perpetual lack of lustre. It’s a matter of control. If I can’t determine what I do and don’t do, then why am I living? “Quitting the Easy Way” is the only brainwash that actually worked, but was so difficult that the thought of stopping again is complete dread. It’s best to do the first 3 days unconscious. Better off to catch a flu that lasts for three weeks. After that, life is pretty much a gem, but I’ll give it at least a year for the tired to go away. I guess my body hasn’t had to wake itself up for so long, that it forgot how. Seeking the assistance from some other addictive poison like caffeine doesn’t seem wise. The entire happening reminds me of when the doctors got greedy due to workman’s comp and knocked me out many times in a row. I don’t think I ever really woke up from that either. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390/23 "2014-06-08T03:24:36Z")
I quit again since posting in this thread back in 2012. Quit since January 2013 and still doing fine with an electronic cigarette. Take that, old me! ---
**Author:** ![Fishtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ed655f/32.png) [@Fishtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishtar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390/24 "2014-06-08T03:51:42Z")
Tobacco has a lot more in it than just nicotine. I is also a fairly potent MAO inhibitor. MAOs break down seratonin, dopamine, and epinephrine. By inhibiting this tobacco acts as an antidepressant. So when you quit, you get depressed and lethargic…for quit a while. Licorice root is also a potent MAO inhibitor…so eating 2 grams of licorice root for a few weeks and then gradually titering off can help a lot. Long term use of that much licorice can cause other problems though, so don’t do it forever. Also the use of MAO inhibitors with other serotonin drugs (anti depressants) or epinephrine drugs (crystal meth) is really really not advised. ---
**Author:** ![kelfrimo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d9b06d/32.png) [@kelfrimo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelfrimo)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390/26 "2014-12-25T17:49:34Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > … but personally I’ve never been able to attain the same razor-like level of focus without nicotine that I’m capable of attaining as a smoker. I quit smoking on June 2013, today is Christmas day 2014. I still don’t have the razor-like level of focus as Rachel appointed. I feel dumber as when I smoked. And for me the worst is being that it has literally killed my sex-drive. As many of you guys said here, COFFEE might be temporal solution. I completely disagree with that option, I even consider that substituting the stimulant power of nicotine with coffee is much worse for your brain to regain its power. I do feel smarter when I completely quit all stimulants (meaning also tea, Coke, Coffee, and anything with caffeine) but after 3 horrible days of withdrawal. Try it. Quit all stimulants for a few days. Tell me how you feel the fourth day. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390/27 "2014-12-25T20:47:59Z")
I tried quitting through hypnosis about 20 years ago. Worked ok that evening. The next morning I tried to get to work, and had to get cigarettes to be able to drive. I felt like I had taken a massive dose of sleeping pills. I quit successfully 2 years ago using the patch with none of that difficulty. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390/28 "2014-12-26T12:38:15Z")
> [@mayday](#): > > Man, I hope this isn’t normal. If it is, I’m in deep trouble! If I can’t sit not be doing anything for five minutes without my head hitting my chest, I might as well go back to smoking so I can keep my job! Through the week, I thought things were getting better, but yesterday, I was testing out a new backup program, and it took all I had to stay awake during the 22 minutes it took for the initial test. In fact, I think I fell asleep briefly until my sister came into the room. That was after 12 hours sleep the previous night. Last night, I slept fifteen hours, waking up after NOON! If this is normal, I’m in TROUBLE! That happens to me sometimes, and def did when I quit. Fwiw, I put it down to expending masses more emotional energy - those first few days/couple of weeks when smoking is still a heavy preoccupation. No idea if that’s correct but it felt a lot like that to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quit-smoking-now-im-tired-all-the-time/624390.md?page=1)