It’s probably no surprise that people prone to stress and anxiety tend to sleep worse – but Dutch researchers have now shown that it’s not just these traits that affect how well we rest. Several other personality traits also play a role. If you identify with one of the following personality types, you might face sleep challenges.
Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience studied 2,224 people treated for chronic sleep deprivation to find common personality traits. They identified about five personality types most likely to struggle with sleep.
1. Highly Stressed People
It’s no surprise that the first group includes highly stressed individuals who tend to be depressed, are most active right before bedtime, and often experience anxiety.
They’re the most vulnerable to insomnia and likely to face sleep problems throughout their lives.
2. Those Sensitive to External Stimuli
The second group also tends to be stressed but experiences positive emotions and generally has a happier outlook on life. They’re vulnerable to insomnia because they’re most active before bed and highly sensitive to external stimuli. These individuals suffer from psychophysiological insomnia, meaning they stress about their insomnia itself, which keeps them awake.
3. Those Who Are Unhappy and Pessimistic
The third type is extremely unhappy and sensitive, with a very pessimistic outlook that disrupts their sleep cycle. While they struggle to embrace positive feelings, they’re less prone to depression than the first group.
4. Overthinkers
The fourth type can be described as overthinkers: they don’t stress much in general but fixate on specific life events like financial worries or relationship issues.
They only sleep poorly when they have something to obsess over, and then they find it very hard to fall asleep.
Interestingly, statistics show they’re more likely to have experienced trauma in childhood and are more affected by negative life events.
5. Mixed Types
The fifth type is similar to the fourth, prone to stressing over life events but to a lesser degree. They’re less motivated and more indifferent to what happens but still tend to suffer from insomnia, especially in their 40s. They usually don’t have sleep problems when they’re younger.
Of course, this research isn’t too surprising: those who are more stressed, prone to depression, or generally see the world negatively tend to sleep worse and less than those who don’t worry as much. If you can, it’s worth improving your situation – while serious mental health issues need more than just positive thinking, if you’re simply stressed, try focusing on the good instead of the problems. Your brain will thank you for the rest!
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