Research suggests that the act of looking at the clock when you want to fall asleep can exacerbate insomnia symptoms and increase use of sleep aids. The study, which looked at nearly 5,000 patients in a sleep clinic, found that time-monitoring behaviors triggered a cycle of anxiety about not getting enough sleep, leading to increased stress and difficulty falling asleep. Became. As a result, they are more likely to resort to sleeping pills to regain control of their sleep. A simple behavioral intervention to avoid checking the time may help manage insomnia more effectively.
A study led by Spencer Dawson at Indiana University found that looking at the clock while trying to sleep worsened insomnia and increased use of sleep aids. This study suggests that not checking the time could be a simple and effective solution to managing insomnia.
A study by a professor at Indiana University found that looking at the clock when trying to fall asleep worsened insomnia and use of sleep aids. And even small changes can improve sleep quality.
The study, led by Spencer Dawson, Clinical Assistant Professor and Deputy Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences, focused on a sample of approximately 5,000 patients undergoing treatment at sleep clinics.
Insomnia affects 4-22% of adults and is associated with long-term health problems such as:[{” attribute=””>cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression.
Participants completed questionnaires about the severity of their insomnia, their use of sleep medication and the time they spent monitoring their own behavior while trying to fall asleep. They were also asked to report any psychiatric diagnoses. Researchers conducted mediation analyses to determine how the factors influenced each other.
Spencer Dawson. Credit: Indiana University
“We found time monitoring behavior mainly has an effect on sleep medication use because it exacerbates insomnia symptoms,” Dawson said. “People are concerned that they’re not getting enough sleep, then they start estimating how long it will take them to fall back asleep and when they have to be up. That is not the sort of activity that’s helpful in facilitating the ability to fall asleep — the more stressed out you are, the harder time you’re going to have falling asleep.”
As the frustration over sleeplessness grows, people are more likely to use sleep aids in an attempt to gain control over their sleep.
The results are published in The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders. Additional co-authors are Dr. Barry Krakow, professor of psychiatry and behavioral health in the Mercer University School of Medicine; Patricia Haynes, associate professor in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman School of Public Health at the University of Arizona and Darlynn Rojo-Wissar, a postdoctoral fellow at Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
Dawson said the research indicates a simple behavioral intervention could provide help for those struggling with insomnia. He gives the same advice to every new patient the first time they meet.
“One thing that people could do would be to turn around or cover up their clock, ditch the smart watch, get the phone away so they’re simply not checking the time,” Dawson said. “There’s not any place where watching the clock is particularly helpful.”
Reference: “Use of Sleep Aids in Insomnia: The Role of Time Monitoring Behavior” by Spencer C. Dawson, PhD; Barry Krakow, MD; Patricia L. Haynes, PhD; Darlynn M. Rojo-Wissar, PhD, MPH; Natalia D. McIver, PhD and Victor A. Ulibarri, BS, 16 May 2023, The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders.
DOI: 10.4088/PCC.22m03344
With 15 years of of research and clinical experience in the sleep field, Dawson is interested in comparing individuals’ sleeping experiences with what is concurrently happening in their brains. He trains and supervises doctoral students in the Department of Psychological and Brain Science’s Clinical Science Program.
