
Scientists have made a startling discovery about how one can have better sleep at night, and you should have a look at it.
A new Northwestern Medicine and Rush
University Medical Center study based on older adults has shown that
having a purpose in life means you are more likely to sleep better at
night.
Although the participants in the study were older, researchers said the findings are likely applicable to the broader public.
Dr. Jason Ong, an associate professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine said, “Helping
people cultivate a purpose in life could be an effective drug-free
strategy to improve sleep quality, particularly for a population that is
facing more insomnia.
“Purpose in life is something that can be cultivated and enhanced through mindfulness therapies.”
823 adults, who had an average age of
79, participated in the study and answered a series of questions on
purpose of life and sleep.
For the purpose in life survey, they were asked to rate their response to statements such as: ‘I feel good when I think of what I’ve done in the past and what I hope to do in the future.’
People who felt their lives had meaning
were 63% less likely to experience sleep apnoea, a breathing problem
that leads to repeated waking up in the night.
They were also 52% less likely to have restless leg syndrome, a sleep-disrupting irresistible urge to move the legs.
The study was published on Sunday, July 9, in the journal Sleep Science and Practice.
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