A group of researchers from Binghamton University, Department of Psychology found a huge repetition of pessimistic thinking among those who sleep late.
Repetitive pessimistic thinking was linked to people who get only a few hours of sleep compared to those who get “enough” hours. This set of people always feel worry excessively about their future and think too much about their past. And all these occurrence are often seen among people suffering from various disorders like: anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and social anxiety disorder.
People are said to have repetitive negative thinking – a persistent and abstract focus on negative aspects of one’s experience – when they have bothersome pessimistic thoughts that seem to repeat in their minds – sci-news
As carried out by Dr Jacob Nota and Dr Meredith Coles who were the authors of the study:
100 young undergraduates in Binghamton University New York, were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires and two computerized tasks. The rate at which they worry, ruminate or obsess about something were measured, and their repetitive negative thinking was also gauged.
Information on their sleeping habits like the time when they usually go to bed, the number of hours of sleep that they get, and the continuity of their sleep were also collected.
The researchers found that those who only sleep for shorter periods of time and go to bed later are always overwhelmed with repetitive negative thoughts.
Sleeping late at night has been attributed to many illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, weaker immune system and mental disorders.
Dr Nota said:
Read also: The Role of Sleep in Suicide Risk
Making sure that sleep is obtained during the right time of day may be an inexpensive and easily disseminable intervention for individuals who are bothered by intrusive thoughts
Meredith Coles also added:
If further findings support the relation between sleep timing and repetitive negative thinking, this could one day lead to a new avenue for treatment of individuals with internalizing disorders. Studying the relation between reductions in sleep duration and psychopathology has already demonstrated that focusing on sleep in the clinic also leads to reductions in symptoms of psychopathology,”
The findings published in the journal Cognitive Therapy and Research thereby encourage those at risk of developing a mental health disorder to lend time to their sleep.
If you’re a night owl, like myself, you must read this article. Very interesting and enlightening. If further studies confirm that sleep deprivation is in the origin of many mental illnesses, therefore the main treatment processes will change, will be focused on sleep, not on the mental/psychological symptoms. I have been claiming this for 15 years hence why I’m very happy to finally read this. Keep it up.
Thanks so much. I really appreciate your comment and the fact that you truly understand the fact that sleep deprivation is of adverse effect to the health.
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