How better thinking can lead to better sleep

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

It is no great secret that a good night's sleep makes us feel better the next day. We've all had nights where we've tossed and turned, and normally we feel groggy or downright moody come the morning. However, experts are now beginning to believe that it's not only the quality and quantity of the sleep itself that dictates how refreshed we feel the next day. Get this: the way that we think about our night's sleep may also play a role!

Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.

Mindset matters

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

Rather, the way that we think about our night’s sleep, both before and after it actually happens, may have a big influence on how tired we feel.

Insomnia and the brain

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

Indeed, when we are in an elevated psychological state due to our thoughts, beliefs, and the way we focus our attention, our sleep is more likely to be disrupted.

Defining the term

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

This phenomenon occurs when someone thinks they had a poor night’s sleep and feels fatigued, yet when their sleep is objectively measured it is within normal range.

Rigid beliefs

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

Experts believe that one of the potential reasons for paradoxical insomnia is rigidly-held beliefs about the importance of sleep and how many hours we need to function.

The role of the sleep industry

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

This is hardly surprising: the US$78 billion-dollar sleep industry relies on people believing a certain amount of sleep is absolutely crucial.

Changing beliefs

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

Let's now look at how changing our beliefs about sleep can help us get better shut-eye. Consider first that most insomniacs have very rigid beliefs about sleep.

Nighttime anxiety

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

These kinds of thoughts can increase psychological arousal and anxiety at night, which in turn makes it more difficult to fall asleep.

CBT techniques

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

For this reason, traditional insomnia treatments have focused on using cognitive behavioral strategies to try and shift this mindset.

Holding on tight

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

Rather, it seems that the degree to which we hold on to those beliefs matters too; the more firmly we cling to our rigid thoughts about sleep, the more disruptive they become.

The next day

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

Research also shows that focusing too much on our sleep can make us feel more fatigued the next day, even if in reality we slept absolutely fine.

Fake data

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

Half of the participants were told by the data that they slept well, and the other half were told they slept badly. In reality, however, the data was fake.

Drawing conclusions

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

Studies like this would seem to suggest that simply changing our attitude towards the way we have slept, even if it doesn’t objectively change, can help us feel less fatigued.

Deeper understanding

Mindset matters, Insomnia and the brain, Defining the term, Rigid beliefs, The role of the sleep industry, Changing beliefs, Nighttime anxiety, CBT techniques, Holding on tight, The next day, Fake data, Deeper understanding

It's about understanding that even if your night of sleep wasn’t optimal, you can still go about your day and enjoy the things you usually do in life.

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