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(https://www.psypost.org/new-neurobiological-analysis-maps-links-between-health-of-various-organs-and-mental-health/) New neurobiological analysis maps links between health of various organs and mental health
Jan 22nd 2025, 08:00

New research reveals multiple pathways through which poor organ health may contribute to poor mental health. Researchers propose that exercise, sedentary behavior, diet, sleep quality, smoking, alcohol intake, education, and socioeconomic status may influence mental health through their impact on specific organ physiology and brain structure. The paper was published in (https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00303-4) Nature Mental Health.
Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental health conditions, often co-occurring and significantly affecting daily life. Depression is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities. Anxiety involves excessive worry, fear, and physical symptoms such as a racing heart or restlessness.
These mental health conditions are particularly prevalent in individuals with chronic physical health conditions. For example, in individuals with chronic illnesses such as coronary heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, and cancer, the risk of developing depression and anxiety is several times higher than in those without such medical conditions.
Scientists have proposed that this increased risk may occur because of shared genetic factors underlying chronic physical illnesses and mental health disorders, as well as behavioral and lifestyle factors that heighten the risk of both categories of conditions.
Study author Ye Ella Tian and her colleagues sought to explore the association between the functioning of various organ systems in the body and mental health. They analyzed a subset of UK Biobank participants, comparing individuals with no major medical or mental health conditions to those diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder.
The UK Biobank is a large-scale biomedical database and research resource containing in-depth genetic, health, and lifestyle information from over 500,000 participants. It is designed to support research on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of diseases and is accessible to researchers worldwide.
>From this database, the researchers used data from 7,749 healthy individuals, as well as 67 individuals with schizophrenia, 592 with bipolar disorder, 9,817 with depression, and 2,041 with generalized anxiety disorder. Participants ranged in age from 40 to 70 years, with an average age of 54 years.
The researchers assessed the health of seven organ systems—cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, immune, renal, hepatic, and metabolic. They also utilized brain imaging data collected using magnetic resonance imaging 4 to 14 years after the assessment of organ health (when participants were aged 45 to 83). Additional assessments included depressive symptom severity (the Recent Depressive Symptoms Scale), neuroticism (the Eysenck scale), and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, which were measured at a separate time point.
Results showed that, for each of the seven organ systems, poorer organ health was associated with higher depressive symptoms, even after controlling for age and sex. Similarly, poorer organ health—except for renal and pulmonary health—was associated with higher anxiety symptoms and greater neuroticism.
The researchers proposed a statistical model suggesting that worse organ health leads to reduced gray matter volume in the brain, which in turn contributes to more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. Results supported this link for the association between pulmonary system health and depression. A similar model suggested that reduced white matter volume in the brain mediated the relationship between cardiovascular system health and anxiety.
Additionally, the analysis indicated that poor physical and brain health might jointly mediate the relationship between lifestyle factors and depression. The model proposed that exercise, sedentary behavior, diet, sleep quality, smoking, alcohol intake, education, and socioeconomic status influence organ and brain health, which subsequently affect mental health. Results showed that this chain of relationships is plausible.
“Our work provides an integrated model linking physical health, neurobiology and mental health outcomes. Our findings suggest a crucial role of the brain in mediating the relationship between physical and mental health, which is an important step toward bridging the mind–body dualism,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the association between physical and mental health. However, it should be noted that the study design does not allow causal inferences to be drawn from the results. The models tested are statistical in nature, outlining possible causal pathways but not definitive ones.
The paper “(https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00303-4) Brain, lifestyle and environmental pathways linking physical and mental health” was authored by Ye Ella Tian, James H. Cole, Edward T. Bullmore, and Andrew Zalesky.

(https://www.psypost.org/study-links-early-emotional-regulation-difficulties-to-adhd-and-conduct-problems/) Study links early emotional regulation difficulties to ADHD and conduct problems
Jan 22nd 2025, 06:00

Children who struggle to manage their emotions and behavior during preschool years are at greater risk of developing symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other mental health concerns by age seven, according to a new study published in (https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579424001263) Development and Psychopathology. Researchers found that these early difficulties also correlate with higher rates of conduct problems and internalizing behaviors, such as sadness and anxiety, later in childhood. The findings highlight the importance of early emotional development and could guide targeted support for children at risk.
Emotion regulation refers to a person’s ability to manage and control their emotional responses to situations in ways that align with social norms and personal goals. This skill develops significantly during early childhood, as children learn to balance intense feelings such as frustration, excitement, or sadness. Effective emotion regulation allows children to respond appropriately to challenges, engage in positive social interactions, and recover from setbacks.
Conversely, poor emotion regulation—referred to as emotional dysregulation—can lead to excessive emotional reactions, difficulties calming down, or impulsive behaviors that disrupt daily life. Children with persistent emotional dysregulation may struggle in social settings, academic environments, and at home, making this an important area of focus for understanding developmental and mental health challenges.
The researchers sought to understand how early patterns of emotional dysregulation are related to mental health outcomes, particularly ADHD, internalizing problems, and conduct problems. These conditions are often diagnosed later in childhood, making it challenging to intervene early.
“My interest in this topic stems from a desire to understand how differences during childhood may lead to varying outcomes with lifelong repercussions. I believe there is a preconception that, as people, we are all fairly similar. Because of this, we often overlook the implications that these subtle differences can have in the long term,” said study author Francisco Antonio Calderón Alfaro, a PhD student at the University of Oxford.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning. Children with ADHD may have difficulty focusing on tasks, staying organized, or controlling impulses. These symptoms can affect academic performance, social relationships, and self-esteem. ADHD is often diagnosed during school years, but early signs can emerge in preschool-aged children.
Internalizing problems are characterized by inwardly directed behaviors and emotions, such as excessive sadness, anxiety, or withdrawal. These issues can manifest as constant worrying, low self-esteem, or physical complaints like headaches without a clear medical cause.
On the other hand, conduct problems involve outwardly directed behaviors, including aggression, defiance, lying, and rule-breaking. These behaviors may disrupt relationships with peers and adults and lead to conflicts in structured environments like school. Both internalizing and conduct problems can co-occur with ADHD and other mental health concerns, further complicating diagnosis and treatment.
The researchers utilized data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large-scale, longitudinal dataset tracking the development of children in the United Kingdom. Their sample included over 14,000 children, with emotional regulation assessed at ages three, five, and seven. Parents completed questionnaires, such as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, to measure children’s emotional dysregulation, conduct issues, and symptoms associated with ADHD.
Emotion regulation was assessed through parental observations of behaviors such as mood swings, impulsivity, and the ability to recover from upset feelings. Parents rated the frequency of these behaviors on standardized scales. The researchers then tracked how these emotional patterns evolved over time, focusing on whether children showed steady improvement, delayed development, or persistent difficulties. By age seven, researchers evaluated whether these early emotional trends correlated with ADHD symptoms, conduct problems, or internalizing behaviors such as anxiety and sadness.
The researchers found that children who struggled more with emotional regulation during preschool years tended to exhibit more symptoms of ADHD by age seven. These children were also more likely to display conduct issues and internalizing behaviors. These associations held true even after accounting for earlier mental health symptoms, suggesting that the development of emotional regulation is an independent predictor of these outcomes.
Interestingly, the pace at which children improved their emotional regulation skills also mattered. Children who showed slower progress in developing emotional regulation were at greater risk of adverse mental health outcomes. While most children displayed a general improvement in emotion regulation between ages three and seven, those with consistently high levels of emotional dysregulation faced the highest risks.
“Children learn to manage their emotions in different ways,” Calderón Alfaro told PsyPost. “Identifying these differences can help target early interventions and promote the healthy development of children.”
Gender differences were also observed. Although boys and girls both experienced similar risks, boys generally exhibited higher levels of emotional dysregulation and were more likely to show conduct problems, while girls were more prone to internalizing symptoms.
The findings highlight the importance of supporting emotional development during the preschool years. But as with all research, there are some caveats. “To put it simply, we only have three timepoints in our data,” Calderón Alfaro noted. “This is not equivalent to tracking a heartbeat in real time. As a result, the nuances of how these changes evolve over time remain unclear.”
Another limitation is the observational nature of the study, which precludes definitive conclusions about causation. While emotional dysregulation appears to be a marker for later mental health risks, it remains unclear whether it directly causes these outcomes or is simply associated with other underlying factors. Experimental studies or intervention trials could shed light on whether improving emotional regulation skills can reduce the likelihood of mental health issues.
“I believe that more research focused on understanding differences in development can lead to better-tailored interventions,” Calderón Alfaro said. “This would help support those who may benefit less from existing programs or practices.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579424001263) Early emotion regulation developmental trajectories and ADHD, internalizing, and conduct problems symptoms in childhood,” was authored by Aja Louise Murray, Amanda Russell, and Francisco Antonio Calderón Alfaro.

(https://www.psypost.org/postmodern-beliefs-linked-to-left-wing-authoritarianism/) Postmodern beliefs linked to left-wing authoritarianism
Jan 21st 2025, 16:00

New research in (https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.70021) Applied Cognitive Psychology explores the relationship between postmodern beliefs, psychological distress, and left-wing authoritarianism. The study found that individuals with strong postmodern beliefs are more likely to exhibit authoritarian tendencies, particularly when their levels of psychological distress are low.
The study was motivated by growing political polarization and the increasing prevalence of authoritarian tendencies across the ideological spectrum. While right-wing authoritarianism has been widely studied, (https://www.psypost.org/left-wing-authoritarianism-is-a-real-and-pervasive-issue-according-to-a-massive-new-psychology-study/) left-wing authoritarianism has received comparatively little attention. The researchers aimed to address this gap by examining how psychological factors, such as distress, intersect with postmodern beliefs—characterized by skepticism of universal truths—to foster authoritarian attitudes.
For their study, the researchers recruited 365 participants from diverse backgrounds using an online platform called Prolific. The participants were aged 18 to over 65 and represented various regions, including North America, Europe, and Africa. To ensure a broad representation, the sample included individuals with different levels of education, employment statuses, and political orientations.
Participants completed an online survey, which included several standardized psychological measures. These measures were selected to assess postmodern beliefs, authoritarian tendencies, psychological distress, and social dominance orientation.
The Postmodern Beliefs Scale was used to evaluate participants’ alignment with both liberal and conservative postmodern ideas. While classical postmodernism critiques the concept of objective truth, liberal postmodernism emphasizes that knowledge is shaped by subjective experience within specific historical and social contexts. In contrast, conservative postmodernism adopts a similar skepticism toward objective truth but applies it selectively to challenge areas such as climate science and public health initiatives.
For example, participants were asked to rate the extent to which they agreed with statements such as “There is too much emphasis in higher education on logic and rational thinking,” “There is no absolute truth, everyone’s truth is unique,” and “All parents should have the right to keep their children from being vaccinated.”
The Left-Wing Authoritarianism Index captured authoritarian attitudes associated with progressive ideologies, including support for censorship and revolutionary measures. For example, items included “Political violence can be constructive when it serves the cause of social justice,” “Getting rid of inequality is more important than protecting the so-called ‘right’ to free speech,” and “If I could remake society, I would put people who currently have the most privilege at the very bottom.”
Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, which asked participants to rate the frequency of distress-related symptoms over the past four weeks, including feeling tired, nervous, worthless, hopeless, and sad.
The findings revealed a significant relationship between postmodern beliefs and left-wing authoritarianism. Participants who strongly endorsed liberal postmodern ideas were more likely to exhibit authoritarian tendencies aligned with progressive ideologies.
“Liberal postmodernism was associated with left-wing authoritarianism,” the researchers wrote. “This is a stark comparison to the postmodernism of the 1960s and 1970s that rejected any form of authority in art, culture or politics. Despite this, these results are in keeping with the findings of other scholars who have noted this iteration of postmodernism is selective in what constitutes power.”
Interestingly, psychological distress played a nuanced role in this relationship. While distress was positively correlated with left-wing authoritarianism, its moderating effect was counterintuitive. The relationship between postmodern beliefs and authoritarian tendencies was stronger among individuals with lower levels of psychological distress.
This finding challenged the researchers’ initial hypothesis that distress would amplify the connection between postmodern beliefs and authoritarian attitudes. Instead, it suggested that other factors, such as group identity and a desire for certainty, might drive the development of authoritarian tendencies among individuals with strong postmodern beliefs.
While the study provides valuable insights, it has several limitations. The reliance on self-reported data introduces the possibility of social desirability bias, particularly when participants are asked about their adherence to egalitarian or authoritarian principles. Additionally, the study’s cross-sectional design makes it difficult to establish causal relationships between psychological distress, postmodern beliefs, and authoritarian tendencies.
Future research could explore the role of group identity in moderating the relationship between postmodern beliefs and authoritarianism. Group identification may provide individuals with a sense of certainty and purpose, reducing distress and fostering ideological rigidity. Longitudinal studies could also examine how these relationships evolve over time and in response to external events, such as political or social crises.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.70021) The Moderating Role of Psychological Distress in the Relationship Between Postmodernism and Left-Wing Authoritarianism,” was authored by Sebastian Deverson, Paul Delfabbro, and Neophytos Georgiou.

(https://www.psypost.org/unmet-needs-in-relationships-linked-to-social-media-addiction-and-phubbing/) Unmet needs in relationships linked to social media addiction and phubbing
Jan 21st 2025, 14:00

A recent study published in (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1291638) Frontiers in Psychology explored the relationship between the satisfaction of basic psychological needs in romantic relationships, social media addiction, and phubbing (the act of prioritizing a smartphone over face-to-face communication). Researchers found that when basic psychological needs in romantic relationships—such as love, freedom, and power—are unmet, individuals may turn to social media or engage in phubbing behaviors. These behaviors, in turn, negatively affect relationship satisfaction, creating a cyclical pattern that undermines intimacy and communication.
Relationships play a vital role in fulfilling basic human needs such as emotional connection, autonomy, and security. Building on theories like Glasser’s Choice Theory, which emphasizes the importance of meeting these needs for mental well-being, researchers sought to understand how deficiencies in these areas might manifest in behaviors like social media addiction and phubbing. With the growing prevalence of smartphones and social media, the study aimed to uncover the mechanisms through which unmet needs in romantic relationships contribute to these behaviors and their subsequent impact on relationship satisfaction.
“Social media addiction has recently become increasingly prevalent among young adults,” said study author Hüseyin Buğra Karaman of Necmettin Erbakan University. “Glasser’s view of negative addictions suggests that individuals may develop negative addictions or ineffective mental health behaviors when basic needs are not satisfied. For this reason, in this study, while examining the effect of the satisfaction of basic psychological needs in young adults’ romantic relationships on their relationship satisfaction, we wanted to examine the role of social media addiction and phubbing in this relationship.”
The study involved 958 undergraduate students from various universities in Türkiye, aged 17 to 29, who were either in a relationship or had been in one previously. The participants completed several validated scales designed to measure the satisfaction of basic psychological needs in relationships, their levels of social media addiction, their phubbing behaviors, and their overall relationship satisfaction.
The findings indicated that participants who reported lower satisfaction of basic psychological needs in their relationships were more likely to engage in phubbing and exhibit signs of social media addiction. For example, unmet needs for love and belonging, freedom, and power were associated with increased phubbing behaviors. However, the need for fun did not show the same association.
Phubbing itself was strongly related to social media addiction, suggesting that individuals who frequently diverted their attention to smartphones during interactions were also more likely to experience problematic social media use.
In addition to these patterns, the study found that social media addiction and phubbing were both linked to lower levels of relationship satisfaction. This suggests that behaviors associated with smartphone use may coincide with negative perceptions of relationship quality. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that phubbing acted as a mediator, connecting unmet needs with social media addiction. Similarly, social media addiction mediated the relationship between phubbing and lower relationship satisfaction, underscoring its potential role in amplifying relational challenges.
“The individuals we are in romantic relationships with contribute to the satisfaction of our basic psychological needs,” Karaman told PsyPost. “When this satisfaction is not achieved, negative addictions such as social media addiction or behaviors such as phubbing may occur. This can negatively affect the satisfaction we get from that relationship.”
However, the sample consisted predominantly of young adults, limiting the generalizability of the findings to older age groups or different cultural contexts. Additionally, the cross-sectional design prevents definitive conclusions about causation, as it only captures relationships between variables at a single point in time. Future research could explore longitudinal designs to better understand the temporal relationships between unmet needs, phubbing, and relationship satisfaction.
Further studies might also investigate how specific types of social media use contribute to relationship challenges and whether interventions aimed at improving communication and need satisfaction could mitigate these effects. Expanding the scope to include other age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultural settings would provide a more comprehensive understanding of these dynamics.
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1291638) The mediating role of social media addiction and phubbing in basic psychological needs in relationships and relationship satisfaction,” was authored by Hüseyin Buğra Karaman and Coşkun Arslan.

(https://www.psypost.org/can-music-heal-emotional-wounds-new-research-suggests-it-might/) Can music heal emotional wounds? New research suggests it might
Jan 21st 2025, 12:00

Have you ever noticed how a particular song can bring back a flood of memories? Maybe it’s the tune that was playing during your first dance, or the anthem of a memorable road trip.
People often think of these musical memories as fixed snapshots of the past. But recent research (https://maplab.gatech.edu/) my team and I published suggests music may do more than just trigger memories – it might even (https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-024-01200-0) change how you remember them.
I’m a (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Wbi5_VYAAAAJ&hl=en) psychology researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Along with my mentor (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DfJix_sAAAAJ&hl=en) Thackery Brown and University of Colorado Boulder music experts (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=tfZIzOEAAAAJ&hl=en) Sophia Mehdizadeh and (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=KK-gSk8AAAAJ&hl=en) Grace Leslie, our recently published research uncovered intriguing connections between music, emotion and memory. Specifically, listening to music can (https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-024-01200-0) change how you feel about what you remember – potentially offering new ways to help people cope with difficult memories.
Music, stories and memory
When you listen to music, it’s not just your ears that are engaged. The areas of your brain responsible for emotion and memory also become active. The hippocampus, which is essential for (https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295x.99.2.195) storing and retrieving memories, (https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.171) works closely with the amygdala, the brain’s (https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.56.091103.070234) emotional center. This is partly why certain songs are not only memorable but also deeply emotional.
While (http://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X08005293) music’s ability to evoke emotions and trigger memories is well known, we wondered whether it could also alter the emotional content of existing memories. Our hypothesis was rooted in the concept of (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2016.12.012) memory reactivation – the idea that when you recall a memory, it becomes temporarily malleable, allowing new information to be incorporated.
We developed a (https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-024-01200-0) three-day experiment to test whether music played during recall might introduce new emotional elements into the original memory.
On the first day, participants memorized a series of short, emotionally neutral stories. The next day, they recalled these stories while listening to either positive music, negative music or silence. On the final day, we asked participants to recall the stories again, this time without any music. On the second day, we recorded their brain activity with fMRI scans, which measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.
Our approach is analogous to how movie soundtracks can alter viewers’ perceptions of a scene, but in this case, we examined how music might change participants’ actual memories of an event.
The results were striking. When participants listened to emotionally charged music while recalling the neutral stories, they were (https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-024-01200-0) more likely to incorporate new emotional elements into the story that matched the mood of the music. For example, neutral stories recalled with positive music in the background were later remembered as being more positive, even when the music was no longer playing.
Even more intriguing were the brain scans we took during the experiment. When participants recalled stories while listening to music, there was (https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-024-01200-0) increased activity in the amygdala and hippocampus – areas crucial for emotional memory processing. This is why a song associated with a significant life event can feel so powerful – it activates both emotion- and memory-processing regions simultaneously.
We also saw evidence of strong communication between these emotional memory processing parts of the brain and the parts of the brain (https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-024-01200-0) involved in visual sensory processing. This suggests music might infuse emotional details into memories while participants were visually imagining the stories.
Musical memories
Our results suggest that music acts as an emotional lure, becoming intertwined with memories and subtly altering their emotional tone. Memories may also be more flexible than previously thought and could be influenced by external auditory cues during recall.
While further research is needed, our findings have exciting implications for both everyday life and for medicine.
For people dealing with conditions such as depression or PTSD, where (https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015621) negative memories can be overwhelming, carefully chosen music might help reframe those memories in a more positive light and potentially reduce their negative emotional impact over time. It also opens new avenues for exploring (https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4494) music-based interventions in treatments for depression and other mental health conditions.
On a day-to-day level, our research highlights the potential power of the soundtrack people choose for their lives. Memories, much like your favorite songs, can be remixed and remastered by music. The music you listen to while reminiscing or even while going about your daily routines might be subtly shaping how you remember those experiences in the future.
The next time you put on a favorite playlist, consider how it might be coloring not just your current mood but also your future recollections as well.
 
This article is republished from (https://theconversation.com) The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the (https://theconversation.com/music-can-change-how-you-feel-about-the-past-239045) original article.

(https://www.psypost.org/astronaut-sleep-study-reveals-how-spaceflight-alters-rest-patterns/) Astronaut sleep study reveals how spaceflight alters rest patterns
Jan 21st 2025, 10:00

Astronauts face unique challenges during space missions, and their sleep patterns are no exception. A recent study conducted by researchers at Harvard College, Harvard Medical School, and NASA Ames Research Center sheds new light on how spaceflight reshapes astronauts’ sleep patterns. Published in the (https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14345) Journal of Sleep Research, the findings reveal the dynamic and adaptive changes in sleep architecture that occur during extended missions in space.
Sleep is critical for physical health, emotional regulation, and cognitive performance, especially in high-stakes environments like space missions. However, astronauts frequently report disrupted sleep patterns during spaceflight. Factors such as stress, microgravity, circadian misalignment, and environmental conditions aboard spacecraft are thought to contribute to reduced sleep quality and duration.
“Prior studies have shown that astronauts average about six hours of sleep while in space, but there haven’t been many studies examining how the brain may change during sleep in space. It is difficult to evaluate these types of changes because it usually requires using electrodes on a person’s scalp to measure brain activity,” said study author Erin Flynn-Evans, the director of the Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory at NASA’s Ames Research Center.
Instead, five male participants, averaging 43.5 years old, who were selected for missions aboard the Mir space station between 1996 and 1998, were trained to use a device called the Nightcap, which is designed to measure sleep stages based on eye and body movements. Data collection occurred during three 12-night blocks before their flights, two 12-night blocks after returning to Earth, and multiple nights during their space missions.
“These data were collected using a system that measured changes in eye movements to help us determine when astronauts were in REM or non-REM sleep,” Flynn-Evans explained. “These sleep stages represent different processes in the brain. For example, deep sleep is associated with waste clearance in the brain, while REM and Stage 2 sleep are associated with learning and memory consolidation, among other functions.”
“Understanding how spaceflight affects the brain during sleep allows us to anticipate any problems that may arise as a result of not getting enough of a particular type of sleep. It also helps us identify targets to inform countermeasure development to improve sleep quality and quantity during spaceflight.”
The researchers analyzed a total of 256 nights of sleep recordings. Participants followed a consistent 24-hour schedule aligned with Moscow time during spaceflight, with no major changes to their daily routines.
The study confirmed that astronauts experienced significant changes in sleep architecture during spaceflight. On average, participants slept about one hour less in space than on Earth, with total sleep time decreasing from 6.7 hours preflight to 5.7 hours inflight. Sleep efficiency—a measure of the proportion of time spent asleep while in bed—dropped from 89% preflight to 73% during spaceflight. Sleep onset latency, or the time it took to fall asleep, nearly doubled in space, and wakefulness after sleep onset tripled.
“There were marked shifts in sleep architecture compared to baseline, and some of these evolved over the course of the mission,” said lead author Oliver Piltch, an undergraduate researcher at Harvard College. “Our findings were consistent with previous studies that focus on the issue of sleep continuity. We found significant decreases in sleep efficiency during spaceflight despite similar times in bed.”
Both REM and NREM sleep were reduced during spaceflight, with REM sleep comprising 19.6% of total sleep time in space compared to 26.4% preflight. Over the course of the missions, however, REM sleep gradually recovered to preflight levels, though this recovery came at the expense of NREM sleep.
“Sleep is important for optimal cognitive function, both on Earth and in space,” Flynn-Evans told PsyPost. “Spaceflight may influence how we sleep in space.”
Interestingly, the study found no lasting effects on sleep architecture after participants returned to Earth. Sleep patterns returned to preflight levels, suggesting that the observed changes were specific to the spaceflight environment and did not result in permanent alterations to the participants’ sleep systems.
However, the researchers emphasized the need for further investigation to validate these findings. “We had a small sample size because only a few astronauts are in space at a time,” Flynn-Evans noted. “We will need additional research to confirm our findings before we act on them. We would like to do additional studies using electroencephalogram (EEG) to confirm our findings in a larger sample.”
The study, “(https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14345) Changes to human sleep architecture during long-duration spaceflight,” was authored by Oliver Piltch, Erin E. Flynn-Evans, Millennia Young, and Robert Stickgold.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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