A new study has shown that people who adhere to a schedule of later bedtimes are more vulnerable to daytime negative thoughts and anxiety.
Earlier studies have associated sleep disorders with negative thoughts, but this study focused more on the link between negative thoughts and the time of sleep.
Study authors Jacob Nota and Meredith Coles of Binghamton University recruited 100 young adults for the study. Participants were asked to complete some questionnaires and two computerized tasks to gauge their negative thinking. Their responses were then compared to their sleeping habits.
The student participants reported that their average bedtime was 1 a.m., although some went to bed as early as 10 p.m., and others as late as 5 a.m., according to New York Magazine.
The analysis revealed that those who slept fewer hours or got to bed later tended to have more negative thoughts during the next day.
"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," Coles said in a press release. "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."
Researchers believe their findings imply a strong link between sleep behavior and mental health. The results might also be useful in the development of treatments for anxiety disorders and depression.
"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," Nota said.
This study was published in the Dec. 4 issue of Cognitive Therapy and Research.
