Do you struggle to keep bad memories from resurfacing, no matter how hard you try to push them away? Well, a simple solution could be to get enough sleep.
Sleep deprivation could be the culprit behind your mind’s inability to lock away unwanted memories, according to a recent study published in the journal Psychology and Cognitive Sciences.
“Sleep problems and intrusive memories play an important role in the onset and maintenance of many mental health disorders. Here, we show that depriving healthy participants of sleep disrupts their ability to keep intrusive memories at bay,” the researchers wrote in the study.
The researchers examined how sleep affects the ability to control bad memories by monitoring the brain activity of 85 healthy participants who either got a full night of sleep or stayed awake. During the trial, participants were shown faces linked to emotionally charged images, like car crashes or fights, and asked to either recall or suppress the memories connected to them.
The results revealed that those who were well-rested showed more brain activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for managing thoughts and emotions when trying to suppress negative memories. On the other hand, the sleep-deprived participants had less brain activity in this area, making it harder for them to control intrusive thoughts. The well-rested group also had reduced activity in the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center, suggesting they were better at shutting down unwanted memories.
“These findings offer fresh insight into our understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying the link between poor sleep and mental illness and could support the development of novel treatment and prevention strategies,” the researchers wrote.
Here are some tips to have good sleep:
Have a Sleep Schedule: Make a regular sleep routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Having a consistent sleep schedule helps synchronize your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
Watch What You Eat and Drink: What you consume can impact your sleep. Avoid heavy meals late at night, and limit caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, especially in the hours before bed, as they can disrupt your sleep.
Have a Healthy Lifestyle: Keeping stress in check and staying active throughout the day can work wonders for your sleep. A regular exercise routine as well as minimizing long naps during the day, can help you get the quality rest you need each night.
Make a Restful Environment: Your surroundings play a huge role in how well you sleep. Control the light, noise, and temperature in your bedroom to create a peaceful atmosphere. Also, try cutting back on screen time, particularly before bed can help you improve sleep.
