Adult rats were implanted with sleep-wake recording electrodes in our experiments. Polygraphic signs of undisturbed sleep-wake activities were recorded for 24 h before cocaine administration, cocaine withdrawal day 1 (acute), day 8 (subacute), and day 14 (subchronic). Western blot method was performed to examine the expression levels of adenosine receptor subtypes in hypothalamus and cerebellum. Non rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep was significantly increased during nighttime (P < 0.01) and daytime (P < 0.05) on withdrawal day 8. The increase of NREM sleep was significant during nighttime (P < 0.01) and slight during daytime on withdrawal day 14, whereas both daytime and nighttime rapid eye movement (REM) sleeps were reduced markedly (P < 0.01) on withdrawal day 8 and 14. In addition, A2A receptor level was significantly enhanced on cocaine withdrawal day 8 and day 14 (P < 0.05), whereas A1 receptor level reduced markedly on withdrawal day 14 (P < 0.05). However, compared with that in the control group, no significant changes existed among adenosine A1, A2A and A2B receptors in rat cerebellum on cocaine withdrawal day 1, day 8 and day 14. Our findings suggest that sleep disorder caused by subacute and subchronic cocaine abstinence may be associated with over-expression of adenosine A2A receptor in rat hypothalamus to some extent.