Better sleeping habits ‘can help to combat negative thoughts’

People with poor sleeping habits are more susceptible to negative thoughts and modes of thinking than those who get better-quality sleep, according to new research.

Carried out by Binghamton University in New York, the study asked 100 young adults to complete a battery of questionnaires and two computerised tasks to measure their tendencies to worry, ruminate or obsess. They were also asked to provide accounts of their sleeping habits.

It was found that people who sleep for shorter periods of time and go to bed later often experience more repetitive negative thoughts, a trend that also held true among students who described themselves as 'evening types'.

Moreover, the findings suggested that sleep disruption may be linked to the development of repetitive negative thinking.

Binghamton anxiety clinic director Meredith Coles said: "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 internalising disorders."

Depression is a fairly common issue in the UK and affects around one in ten people at some point. Men and women are equally susceptible, and the condition can come about at any age.