During periods of substance/medication use, intoxication, or withdrawal, individuals with substance/medication-induced sleep disorder can often experience symptoms, such as:
- Dysphoric mood (i.e. depression, anxiety)
- Irritability
- Cognitive Impairment
- Inability to concentrate
- Fatigue

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Substance/medication-induced sleep disorders are characterized by a severe sleep disturbance that occurs during or soon after substance intoxication, medication exposure, or substance/medicine withdrawal.

Substance/Medication-Induced Sleep Disorder

American Psychiatric Association Publishing. (2022). Non–Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Arousal Disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition text revision: DSM-5-TR (5th ed., pp. 469–475). section.

Substance/Medication-Induced Sleep Disorder from the DSM-V

Depending on the substance, one of four types of sleep disturbances occur:
- Insomnia Type
- Daytime Sleepiness Type
- Parasomnia Type
- Mixed Type

Insomnia type and daytime sleepiness type are most common.

It is also necessary to note whether onset occurs during intoxication, during withdrawal, or after medication use.

Specifiers for Substance/Medication-Induced Sleep Disorder

Associated Features of Substance/Medication-Induced Sleep Disorder

Classes of substances and medications that invoke severe sleep disturbances and can occur in association with intoxication and withdrawal include:
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Cannabis
- Opioids
- Sedatives, hypnotics, or anxiolytics
- Stimulants (i.e. cocaine)
- Tobacco (only with substance withdrawal, not intoxication)
- Unknown (any substance/medication not listed above that likely affects the central or autonomic nervous systems)

Substances and Medications Related to Substance/Medication-Induced Sleep Disorder

The use of recreational substances (e.g. cannabis, ecstasy) is prevalent in adolescence and early adulthood. Because older individuals are likely to take more medications, they are at higher risk for developing a substance/medication-induced sleep disorder, which may be interpreted as normal aging. Children can also experience observable sleep disturbances when beginning a medication.

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