Optimistic people sleep better than pessimists, study finds

• Optimistic people sleep longer and have better quality sleep than pessimists
• Adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night
• Having bad quality sleep leads to numerous problems

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that optimistic people sleep longer and have better quality of sleep than people who are pessimistic.

There were 3,500 participants between the ages of 32 and 51.

Participants were asked to rate a statement that said, ‘I’m always optimistic about my future’ on a scale of one to five – with five being the highest.

When it came to sleep, the participants were asked to rate the quality of sleep they had the month prior to the survey given to them. In addition to that, they were also asked how many hours they would sleep on a regular day and if they found themselves in a position where they couldn’t go to sleep.

The study found that participants who were had higher scores of optimism had better sleep qualities than those who scored lower. 74 percent of these participants also reported to have zero symptoms of insomnia.

Lead author Dr. Rosalba Hernandez said that lack of sleep brings in a lot of problems.

“The lack of healthy sleep is a public health concern, as poor sleep quality is associated with multiple health problems, including higher risks of obesity, hypertension and all-cause mortality.”

Optimism is all psychological but has numerous benefits on overall health.

“Dispositional optimism – the belief that positive things will occur in the future—has emerged as a psychological asset of particular salience for disease-free survival and superior health.”

Optimistic people just see life in a more positive way than those who do not.

“Optimists are more likely to engage in active problem-focused coping and to interpret stressful events in more positive ways, reducing worry and ruminative thoughts when they’re falling asleep and throughout their sleep cycle.”

The National Sleep Foundation states that adults should get between seven to nine hours of sleep every night.