scholarly journals Losing Control: Sleep Deprivation Impairs the Suppression of Unwanted Thoughts

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus O. Harrington ◽  
Jennifer E. Ashton ◽  
Subbulakshmi Sankarasubramanian ◽  
Michael C. Anderson ◽  
Scott A. Cairney

AbstractUnwanted memories often enter conscious awareness when we confront reminders. People vary widely in their talents at suppressing such memory intrusions; however, the factors that govern suppression ability are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that successful memory control requires sleep. Following overnight sleep or total sleep deprivation, participants attempted to suppress intrusions of emotionally negative and neutral scenes when confronted with reminders. The sleep-deprived group experienced significantly more intrusions (unsuccessful suppressions) than the sleep group. Deficient control over intrusive thoughts had consequences: whereas in rested participants suppression reduced behavioural and psychophysiological indices of negative affect for aversive memories, it had no such salutary effect for sleep-deprived participants. Our findings raise the possibility that sleep deprivation disrupts prefrontal control over medial temporal lobe structures that support memory and emotion. These data point to an important role of sleep disturbance in maintaining and exacerbating psychiatric conditions characterised by persistent, unwanted thoughts.

2020 ◽  
pp. 216770262095151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus O. Harrington ◽  
Jennifer E. Ashton ◽  
Subbulakshmi Sankarasubramanian ◽  
Michael C. Anderson ◽  
Scott A. Cairney

Unwanted memories often enter conscious awareness when individuals confront reminders. People vary widely in their talents at suppressing such memory intrusions; however, the factors that govern suppression ability are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that successful memory control requires sleep. Following overnight sleep or total sleep deprivation, participants attempted to suppress intrusions of emotionally negative and neutral scenes when confronted with reminders. The sleep-deprived group experienced significantly more intrusions (unsuccessful suppressions) than the sleep group. Deficient control over intrusive thoughts had consequences: Whereas in rested participants suppression reduced behavioral and psychophysiological indices of negative affect for aversive memories, it had no such salutary effect for sleep-deprived participants. Our findings raise the possibility that sleep deprivation disrupts prefrontal control over medial temporal lobe structures that support memory and emotion. These data point to an important role of sleep disturbance in maintaining and exacerbating psychiatric conditions characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts.


2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison G. Harvey

Insomnia chronically affects 1 in 9 individuals. It causes sufferers severe distress as well as social, interpersonal, and occupational impairment. One of the most replicated findings in the insomnia literature is that people who suffer from insomnia attribute their sleep disturbance to unwanted and excessive intrusive thoughts and worries whilst trying to get to sleep. This article aims to provide an overview of published studies relating to unwanted worry and intrusions in insomnia and to establish the extent to which unwanted worry and intrusions, and the management of them, contribute to the maintenance of insomnia. It is argued that a key mechanism underpinning excessive negatively toned cognitive activity is the strategy by which the unwanted thoughts are managed. Preliminary research is presented in support of this proposal and the clinical implications of it are discussed. It is concluded that investigations of the mechanisms underpinning excessive and unwanted pre-sleep intrusions and worry are in their infancy, but that it is a promising area for future research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (11) ◽  
pp. 2181-2192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam A. Rogers ◽  
Kimberly A. Updegraff ◽  
Masumi Iida ◽  
Thomas J. Dishion ◽  
Leah D. Doane ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Scelles ◽  
LUIS CARLO BULNES

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a treatment for post-traumatic stressdisorder (PTSD). The technique is known to stimulate the capacity to reprocess maladaptive memoriesthat are thought to be central to this pathology. Here we investigate if EMDR therapy can be used in otherconditions than PTSD. We conducted a systematic literature search on PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. Wesearched for published empirical findings on EMDR, excluding those centred on trauma and PTSD,published up to 2020. The results were classified by psychiatric categories.   Ninety articles met our research criteria. A positive effect was reported in addictions, somatoformdisorders, sexual dysfunction, eating disorder, disorders of adult personality, mood disorders, reaction tosevere stress, anxiety disorders, performance anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), pain,neurodegenerative disorders, paedopsychiatry and sleep. The evidence was more consistent in pain, OCD,mood disorders, and reaction to severe stress.EMDR’s efficiency across numerous pathological situations, highlighted the central role of affectivememory in several psychiatric and non-psychiatric conditions. Furthermore, EMDR seems to besuccessful in usually uncooperative (e.g. Dementia) or unproductive cases (e.g. aphasia). Moreover, insome severe medical situations were psychologic distress was an obstacle, EMDR allowed thecontinuation of treatment-as-usual. Our review suggests that it is a safe and economical therapeuticoption, and its effect in non-pathological situations opens new avenues for translational research. Overallmore methodologically rigorous studies are needed.


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