A recent study reveals that individuals passionate about long-term goals are less likely to suffer from insomnia.
Professors Yoon Chang Ho and Kim Jae Rim from the Neurology Department at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital unveiled these studies.
The team’s conclusions stem from analyzing data collected from over 2,500 participants.
Untreated insomnia can lead to a host of health risks, including mental disorders, heart disease, diabetes, and a weakened immune system. While sleeping pills were once the go-to solution, cognitive behavioral therapy is now the recommended approach. This therapy focuses on correcting sleep-disrupting thoughts, behaviors, and habits.
The researchers focused on a personality trait called “GRIT.” Grit encompasses perseverance and passion for long-term goals, embodying resilience, tenacity, boldness, ambition, drive for achievement and conscientiousness.
People with higher grit scores tend to persist toward achieving goals, even when faced with frustrating setbacks.
The study found that the average grit score among all participants was 3.27. Shockingly, 75% of those with low grit scores reported struggling with insomnia.
Conversely, the insomnia rate for high-grit individuals plummeted from 9.3% to a remarkable 0%. The research also uncovered an inverse relationship between grit scores and insomnia severity.
Higher grit scores were linked to lower rates and severity of insomnia. Every one-point increase in grit score slashed the odds of experiencing insomnia by 60% and reduced the likelihood of poor sleep quality by 45%.
Yoon explained, “Grit seems to act as a buffer against insomnia-inducing factors like depression. It also boosts our body’s ability to handle pressure and stress, positively impacting sleep quality. Based on these findings, we recommend assessing patients’ grit levels when treating insomnia and incorporating therapies to boost this vital trait.”
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