If you know about PTSD, then you probably know how difficult and traumatic it is to live with it.
A recent study from UCSF suggests that sleep spindles, brief bursts of brain activity during a sleep phase, may help regulate anxiety in individuals with PTSD.
Let's find out more.
A promising study
Contrary to previous notions, the study shows that spindles might alleviate anxiety, challenging the idea that they worsen intrusive thoughts.
The research involved 45 participants with combat or noncombat trauma, exposed to violent imagery before a monitored nap.
Stress exposure led to increased spindle activity during sleep, particularly in those with more severe PTSD symptoms, resulting in reduced anxiety post-nap.
The study hints at potential non-invasive ways to alleviate symptoms, such as using prescription medications or electrical brain stimulation to induce spindle rhythms.
More research needed
However, more research is needed to understand their effectiveness.
The researchers also plan to explore spindles' impact on replaying memories weeks after trauma exposure.
This study sheds light on using sleep spindles as a tool to manage anxiety-related conditions, offering new avenues for treatment.
