Are You Afraid of the Dark?

If you are having trouble falling asleep or staying a sleep, researcher from Ryerson University in Toronto, now have a deeper understanding as to why. They have been studying the connection between being afraid of the dark and quality of sleep. The findings from the 93 student study found that nearly half acknowledged being afraid of the dark and those people were more likely to be poor sleepers than good ones.

The participants were even tested to confirm their fear of the dark and placed in either a dark or lit lab room where they were subjected to unexpected bursts of white noise. Researchers then evaluated blinking patterns in response to nosies.

Next the participants were placed into the dark, where they discovered that the poor sleepers were more easily startled than the good sleepers. “People who were poor sleepers experienced anticipatory anxiety in the dark, and based on the evidence, seem to be afraid of the dark,” says Colleen Carney, assistant professor of psychology at Ryerson University.

What is so interesting about this research is that participants’ ‘fears of the dark’ could be traced back to childhood phobias about the dark.  This got the researchers thinking that if people with sleep disorders like insomnia have an active and untreated phobia of the dark, then treatment methods for some patients should be re-evaluated. Read Article HERE

For many facing sleepless nights this study could shed new light on conquering insomia.

~ Professional Medical Supply Corp

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