A new study has claimed that optimists tend to sleep better than negative thinkers.
Researchers at the University of Illinois surveyed more than 3,500 people between the ages of 32 and 51 and first gauged whether they were generally optimistic or pessimistic.
They then studied the participants sleep quality and duration to assess how easy it was for them to drift off at night.
And the results were damning for the pessimists out there.
Those with higher levels of positive thinking were most likely to get between six and nine hours sleep at night.
They were also less likely to have symptoms of insomnia and to feel tired during the day.
While it is clear is that those who think the glass if half full, sleep better, it is not clear entirely why.
There are a few theories.
Being positive means you tend to deal with stress better, which can be a major inhibiting factor when trying to sleep.
While a negative thinker may spend hours tossing and turning over a decision in bed, an optimist may not have such issues.
The lead researcher of the study, Rosalba Hernandez said: “Optimists are more likely to engage in active problem-focused coping and to interpret stressful events in more positive ways.”
“This reduces worry and ruminative thoughts when they’re falling asleep and throughout their sleep cycle.”
So next time you’re struggling to fall asleep, think positive thoughts and you’ll nod out in no time. Easy.
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