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Trouble sleeping? You might have to look at your outlook on life. A study published online July 10, 2017 Sleep Science and Practice It found that folks who felt they’d more meaning and purpose of their lives had fewer sleep disorders similar to sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome.
Researchers asked 823 older adults, average age 79, to fill out questionnaires about their sleep quality and their feelings about their lives, similar to how strongly they agreed with statements similar to “when I think about what I've done in the past, what I like and what I hope to do in the future.”
The results showed a link between a more positive outlook and higher sleep. Those who felt their lives had meaning were 63 percent less more likely to have insomnia and 52 percent less more likely to have restless legs syndrome on the two-year follow-up.
According to the researchers, the connection could work in two ways. For example, individuals who be ok with their lives are more proactive about maintaining good health, similar to being lively and exercising frequently, each of that are linked to higher sleep. Also, individuals who struggle with age-related problems that diminish one's outlook on life, similar to depression and heart disease, usually tend to have sleep problems.
