The human brain is capable of accomplishing great feats of organization and creating transcendent art—but it’s very common for a random thought to just pop up as well. These unwanted thoughts, or intrusive thoughts, can often be negative and distressing, and a recent study from the University of York has revealed that a consistent lack of sleep can lead to more of them.
Why Intrusive Thoughts Are a Problem
Dr. Marcus Harrington serves in the Department of Psychology at the University of York, and he’s the lead author of the study. He outlines why this topic is so important:
“In everyday life, mundane encounters can remind us of unpleasant experiences. For example, a car driving too fast on the motorway might cause us to retrieve unwanted memories from a car accident many years ago. For most people, thought intrusions pass quickly, but for those suffering from psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, they can be repetitive, uncontrollable, and distressing.
It is clear that the ability to suppress unwanted thoughts varies dramatically between individuals, but until now, the factors that drive this variability have been mysterious. Our study suggests sleep loss has a considerable impact on our ability to keep unwanted thoughts out of our minds.”
How the Study Worked
In the study, sixty healthy participants learned to associate faces with either negative images (like war zones) or neutral ones (like cityscapes). After a night of either normal sleep or total sleep deprivation, they were asked to suppress thoughts tied to those images.
Sleep-deprived participants had much more difficulty keeping unwanted thoughts out of their minds, especially compared to the rested group, who improved with practice.
Well-rested participants began viewing negative scenes more positively and showed a reduced stress response. In contrast, the sleep-deprived group continued to struggle with thought suppression.
Sleep Apnea & Intrusive Thoughts
While chronic exhaustion, daily drowsiness, and cardiovascular issues are the symptoms of sleep apnea that get the most attention, it can impact a person’s mental health as well. In addition to making someone more likely to suffer from persistent depression and anxiety, this study reveals that sleep deprivation can increase the occurrence of sudden, unpleasant thoughts.
Thankfully, this research also shows that by being well-rested, a person can limit their intrusive thoughts and learn to manage them more easily. This, along with the laundry list of physical issues, is why getting prompt professional treatment for sleep apnea is so crucial.
If you’re tired all the time or frequently find yourself thinking, “Why did this horrible thing just pop into my brain?” sleep apnea might be at the root of the problem, so reaching out to the right professional could be exactly what you need to enjoy better rest and inner peace.
About the Author
Dr. Jeff Rodgers is a board-certified expert in dental sleep medicine with over 20 years of experience helping patients breathe and sleep better. A Diplomate of both the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Sleep and Breathing Academy, he is passionate about raising awareness of sleep apnea and providing effective treatment through oral appliance treatment. Call (770) 394-4310 to schedule a consultation at Sleep Better Georgia or visit our website to see a full menu of services.