Researchers from Australia have found compelling evidence revealing the secret behind the suffering of insomnia sufferers who cannot stop thinking at night and sleep.
The evidence showed that the disruption of the natural rhythm of mental activity over a 24-hour period in the brain is the main cause of the brain’s loss of its natural ability to transition from a state of active daytime thinking to nighttime calmness.
The study, led by the University of South Australia (UniSA), is the first of its kind to map the fluctuations in cognitive activity throughout the day among individuals suffering from chronic insomnia, compared to healthy individuals.
Under precisely controlled laboratory conditions, 32 older adults (16 with insomnia and 16 healthy) were monitored over 24 hours of rest in bed while remaining awake, and this approach allowed scientists to isolate the brain’s internal rhythms.
Both healthy individuals and insomnia patients showed clear rhythmic patterns in mental activity, peaking in the afternoon and at their lowest in the early morning; however, several major differences emerged in the group suffering from insomnia.
Professor Kurt Lushington, the lead researcher of the study, stated that unlike those who enjoy good sleep, whose cognitive state transitioned predictably from problem-solving during the day to a disengagement from thinking at night, insomnia sufferers failed to achieve this transition with the same strength, as their thought patterns remained more like daytime during nighttime hours when the brain should be calming down.
He explained that sleep is not just about closing the eyes; it involves the brain separating from goal-directed thinking and emotional engagement, noting that their study shows this separation is weak and delayed in insomnia cases, likely due to disturbances in the daily rhythm, which means the brain does not receive strong signals to shut off at night.
For her part, Professor Jill Dorian, a co-researcher in the study, pointed out that these results highlight new therapeutic possibilities for insomnia patients, such as interventions that enhance daily rhythms.
Map modified
Follow Tanja7 on our page on Facebook. On the platform Instagram. In addition to the platform X andNabd app
