Treating the underlying cause of your pain is the first step in achieving relief without medication. Most pain will subside over time but if it persists, you may be desperate for relief - especially if the pain you’re experiencing is making it impossible to sleep.
Patients using oxycodone for pain who try increasing their dose to achieve better sleep are at high risk of addiction, dependency, and even an overdose.Īcute pain is commonly caused by a recent injury, surgery, or illness. Oxygen levels in these patients drastically dropped approximately 15 minutes after taking an opioid during the night. One study suggested that the more frequently a person uses oxycodone, the more sleep apnea episodes they have. Taking oxycodone and other opioids can make it even more difficult to breathe, putting you at greater risk for heart failure and death. If you suffer from undiagnosed sleep apnea, you make up approximately 20% of the American population. With it, you’ll wake up feeling lethargic, irritable, and anxious.
It’s during slow-wave sleep that your body rests and recharges. Opioids like oxycodone lower the rate of REM and slow-wave sleep. This may also weaken your immune system, leaving you more susceptible to illness and less likely to recover.Įven if oxycodone helps you fall asleep, it doesn’t improve your quality of sleep. After several nights of restless sleep, many insomnia sufferers that are also using oxycodone feel drained, lethargic, and unable to focus the next day. While oxycodone does cause excessive drowsiness, it can also cause major sleep disturbances including insomnia.