Youre more likely to believe conspiracy theories if you have this bad health habit

Was the moon landing fake — or are you just really tired?Not getting enough sleep on a consistent basis has been linked to a higher likelihood of believing conspiracy theories in a new study by the University of Nottingham.The researchers found that people who’d suffered from insomnia or poor sleep quality over the past month were more susceptible to farfetched explanations for world events.In their report, published this week in the Journal of Health Psychology, two studies were conducted on over 1,100 people to see if sleep quality had an impact on belief in conspiracy theories.The first had participants read an article about the 2019 fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which destroyed the wooden spire and caused extensive damage.Investigators believe it was caused by a cigarette or an electrical short circuit.The participants were given one of two versions: The first included the official line that the first was due to an accident, while the other pushed a conspiracy theory that there was a deliberate cover-up.People who weren’t sleeping well were more likely to believe the cover-up conspiracy.The second study also found a connection between poor sleep quality and belief in conspiracy theories and found that depression had a “consistent indirect effect.” They also found that in some cases, anger and paranoia played a role.“Sleep is crucial for mental health and cognitive functioning Poor sleep has been shown to increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and paranoia — factors that also contribute to conspiracy beliefs,” said Dr.

Daniel Jolley, assistant professor in social psychology at the university and lead researcher.“Our research suggests that improving sleep quality could serve as a protective factor against the spread of conspiratorial thinking.”Poor sleep has been linked to a host of health problems, including increased diabetes risk, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart and kidney issues, increased inflammation, and excess viscera...