Apparently sleep scientists never have problems sleeping

[andrewducker]

Writeup here, linking to an article here which notices that people who have recurrent negative thoughts go to bed later, and get less sleep overall.

And then comes to the conclusion that therefore if people went to bed earlier they'd stop having recurrent negative thoughts.

Which is possibly the stupidest way of interpreting that I can think of. I mean, I know that lack of sleep is bad for you, but have none of the researchers ever been stressed enough that they procrastinated on going to bed and then got less sleep?

Did they not think that when they did their research on 100 students that maybe students are _renowned_ for staying up all night when they're stressed (particularly when it's because of essays/exams that they need to get work done for)?

There is a _single sentence_ at the end which effectively says "We don't know which direction this goes in, so it could be the other way around, although this outcome is rarely mentioned."

Which just leaves me wondering what kind of machines they employ there, whose first assumption when given the information "lack of sleep and negative thinking go together" decides that the lack of sleep causes the negative thinking.

(I _am_ aware that lack of sleep is really bad for you, most people cope badly on prolonged lack of sleep, and that people who get more are mentally better able to cope. But really!)

Comments

[teaotter]

I can't speak for anyone else, but my anxiety is partially sleep-related. When I've shorted myself as little as half an hour for three or more days in a row, I stop feeling tired -- but I start feeling anxious and negative. (Which does, in fact, make it harder to sleep.) But getting more sleep will stop the cycle in a way that other anxiety-treatments won't.

Which is not to say that the study was well-done or well-reported (I haven't clicked the link, so I have no opinion there).

[pseudomonas]

Pretty much ditto. Lack of sleep is about the strongest obvious factor predisposing me to anxiety/depression.