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The importance of sleep - From a young age we are taught about the importance of sleep. We do our best to practice good sleep hygiene and are aware of the risks of sleep deprivation.

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Common understanding -

However, there is now an active area of research that suggests it is not only the quantity and quality of our sleep that dictates whether or not we feel refreshed.

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Mindset matters -

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.

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Old news -

The idea that our mindset directly affects our sleep is nothing new. For decades, scientists have known that psychological processes are the main driver of insomnia.

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Insomnia and the brain -

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.

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Paradoxical insomnia -

However, increasing numbers of researchers are now turning their attention to a phenomenon often referred to as "paradoxical insomnia."

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Defining the term -

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.

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Statistics -

According to the research, this could be more common than we realize. In fact, it could account for up to 66% of insomnia cases.

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Rigid beliefs -

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.

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Ask a friend -

Indeed, if you ask your friends and family how many hours of sleep they need per night, they will likely respond quickly with an exact number of hours, or at least a small range.

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The role of the sleep industry -

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

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Challenging the status quo -

However, there are a growing number of researchers challenging this idea and looking at sleep as something that should be dynamic and able to adapt to changing circumstances.

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Changing beliefs -

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.

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Insomniac overthinking -

They often believe they need a certain number of hours’ sleep in order to function the next day, and they may be very fearful, scared even, of a bad night’s sleep.

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Nighttime anxiety -

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

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Factually inaccurate -

However, these thoughts are not always factually accurate. Indeed, many insomnia sufferers believe they need more sleep than is realistically necessary.

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CBT techniques -

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

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Expert opinion -

Moreover, according to US-based sleep expert Jason Ong, it is not only the particular beliefs we have about sleep that can make it difficult to drift off.

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Holding on tight -

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.

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Mindfulness techniques -

For this reason, Ong has focused his research on developing a mindfulness-based approach to help people detach themselves from these thoughts.

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The next day -

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.

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Insomnia study -

In one insomnia study, for example, participants were given sleep data that the researchers told them had been extracted from a smart device.

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Fake data -

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.

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Findings - When they reported back later that day, the group that was told they slept badly reported feeling more fatigued and in a worse mood than the other group.

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Drawing conclusions -

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.

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A nuanced approach -

This does not mean that we should all adapt a mindset of toxic positivity, of course. It is just about taking a more nuanced approach to sleep.

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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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Double benefit -

As with many things, taking a less black and white approach may help you both to get better sleep, and to feel better even when your sleep is not great.

Source: (BBC)

See also: Sleep tourism—Would you go on a sleep vacation?

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