Sleep well to get rid of negative thoughts

A research study done by Jacob Nota and Meredith Coles of Binghamton University have found that how long you sleep at a time and when you go to bed, actually decides about negative thoughts.

People who sleep for shorter periods of time and go to bed very late at night are often overwhelmed with more negative thoughts than those who keep more regular sleeping hours.

The researchers found that people who sleep for shorter periods of time and go to bed later often experience more repetitive negative thoughts than others. This was also true for those students who described themselves as evening types.

“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,” says Nota.

Based on growing evidence linking sleep and psychopathology, Nota and Coles and their research group at Binghamton University are aiming to understand how information about sleep may be used to help individuals with anxiety disorders.

Written by: Dr. Ajay Sati.