When COVID-19 swept across the globe, it didn’t just bring a health crisis. It also brought on a wave of stress, turning everyday life into a chronic source of worry.
But amidst the storm, researchers at the University of York found a ray of sunshine. According to their study, published in Cortex, good quality sleep can help us bounce back from stress, depression, and anxiety.
Think of it as a fluffy pillow, providing comfort when things get tough.
Unmasking the Superpowers of Sleep
We all know that stress can be a big bully, pushing us towards mental health problems like depression and anxiety. But the superheroes in this story are high-quality sleep and positive coping strategies.
These are abilities like seeing the silver lining in a cloudy situation. These superheroes can help us stay mentally healthy, even when life gets tough.
The Experiment: How Sleep Saved the Day During COVID-19
The scientists wanted to test their theory during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. This was a time when everyone around the world was under stress.
They studied information from over 600 people to see if good sleep and positive thinking helped people stay mentally healthy during this difficult time.
Emma Sullivan, a Ph.D. student from the University of York, explained why the pandemic was a unique time for this research.
She said that this was the first study to look at how good sleep and positive coping strategies helped people deal with real-world, long-term stress, like during the pandemic.
They found that people who slept better showed fewer signs of depression and anxiety during the first months of the pandemic.
The Research Findings: Sleep as the Perfect Armor
The team got their information from the Boston College Daily Sleep and Well-being Survey. This was a survey where people reported on their sleep quality and mental health during the pandemic.
The survey also asked about other things like how much people drank alcohol, whether they had to stay at home (quarantine), and how active they were.
Dr. Scott Cairney, who supervised the project, said that they’ve known for a long time that good sleep is linked to better health and happiness.
But they wanted to see if this stayed true when people were under a lot of stress for a long time, like during the pandemic. The good news?
Sleep proved to be a very important tool in dealing with long-term stress. It helped maintain well-being and reduced signs of depression and anxiety.
The Takeaway: Embrace the Power of Good Sleep
So, what’s the moral of the story? Well, if life’s stressing you out, make sure you’re getting some quality snooze time. Not only does it help us feel refreshed, but it’s also a superpower in battling the blues.
And remember, even during tough times, there’s always a silver lining. So, keep calm, sleep on, and stay positive!
If you care about sleep, please read studies about drug that can treat sleep loss and insomnia, and Mediterranean diets could help people recover after COVID infection.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about how sleep may help you process emotions and reduce PTSD, and results showing Vitamin D deficiency may increase death risk.
The study was published in Cortex.
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