Health
It is known that in order to solve a problem, you need to postpone solving it until the morning, that is, get a good night's sleep. However, a new study states that this is not always the case.
An important component of anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, is the formulation of fear-related memories.
Research also shows that sleep plays an important role in the development of memories.
Therefore, the researchers decided to find out whether sleep deprivation after a frightening event can eliminate the fear associated with it. They studied the reactions of healthy participants, who were shown videos showing safe driving and unexpected traffic accidents. Half of the participants were deprived of sleep, while the other half had a good night's sleep.
The results showed that participants who did not sleep no longer had memories related to fears. This could be a starting point in developing new treatments for people with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
John Krystal, editor of Biological Psychiatry and professor of psychiatry at Yale University, says it would be good if the lack of sleep were positive and easy has affected people who have experienced extreme stress.