Are you an introvert, extrovert, or maybe an ambivert (a bit of both)? Turns out your personality can make a big difference at bedtime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A recent survey of 2,000 Americans, commissioned by beverage company LIFEAID<\/a>, found that only 8% of respondents feel fully rested after a night\u2019s sleep<\/a>. Americans who said they don\u2019t get enough sleep are more likely to be introverted (29%)\u2014and 68% of them blame stress for keeping them awake at night. Introverts also tend to be more particular about sleeping in the right conditions (64%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, Americans who said they do<\/em> get enough sleep at night are more likely to be extroverts (22%)\u2014and 55% are less likely to allow stress to prevent them from sleep. Not only that, but 61% of extroverts say they don\u2019t care about their sleeping conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more about how your personality type affects your sleep\u2014and what you can do to sleep better as an introvert or extrovert. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An introvert is someone who limits social interactions and prefers calm environments. An extrovert, on the other hand, is someone who is outgoing and thrives in social situations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s important to note that most of us aren’t fully introverts or extroverts. “Introversion and extroversion are often not binary,” says John P. Carnesecchi, licensed clinical social worker and clinical director and founder of New York-based gatewaytosolutions.org<\/a>. “Most people are on a spectrum.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although he says that 75% of all people fall within the extrovert end of the spectrum, we \u201cstart shifting more towards the introvert spectrum\u201d as we age. Those of us who fall in the middle are ambiverts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnxiety<\/a> plays a role in introverts’ and extroverts’ sleep issues,\u201d says Carnesecchi. \u201cShutting off the mind is extremely difficult.\u201d He says both introversion and extroversion are \u201call about energy, not about being social,\u201d a common misunderstanding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Carnesecchi says introverts can deplete their energy by finding themselves in larger social gatherings rather than the smaller groups they prefer. This can lead to what he calls an “introvert hangover\u2014intense fatigue generally lasting 48 hours, producing a poor sleep quality, nightmares, and many wakeful moments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extroverts are the opposite\u2014but anxiety can also impact their sleep. \u201cExtroverts need to release their energy to alleviate their stress,” says Carnesecchi. They are energized in social settings and need to engage in group activities and verbalize to process their feelings, he adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Related: What your sleep position says about your personality<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBroadly speaking, introverts tend to have a richer inner life and are more likely to lie in bed thinking because they can\u2019t shut off the thoughts running through their head,” says Brian Wind, PhD, clinical psychologist, chief clinical officer of addiction treatment center JourneyPure<\/a>, and adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University. “They have to quiet their thoughts before they sleep and get ready to rest.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wind points out that sharing their bed can also affect introverts\u2019 ability to recharge, impacting how they wind down and prepare for sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor an introvert to have a good night’s sleep,\u201d says Carnesecchi, \u201cthey need to re-connect with their inner world; home, quietly in bed, read a book, dimming the lights, or sit silently using visualization imagery.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n He likes to encourage clients to imagine themselves on a beautifully decorated hot air balloon ride on a sunny blue-sky day, drifting peacefully together with loved ones or a pet toward a favorite place to visit or that they want to visit. The place brings calmness, joy, and peace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe imagery will put a wedge to the pathological thoughts and gives your brain a break,\u201d says Carnesecchi. \u201cThis will allow the area of the brain that is \u2018overused\u2019 to relax.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Donna Novak<\/a>, PsyD, clinical psychologist in Simi Valley, Calif., who specializes in treating anxiety, says both introverts and extroverts can benefit from repeating a set of mantras or affirmations<\/a> before bedtime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For introverts, she suggests repeating statements like, \u201cI know that it is my anxiety telling me to worry about all the social interactions of the day, and in actuality everything is good,\u201d and \u201cI am perfectly good being who I am. I don\u2019t need to allow my anxiety to take over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nIntrovert vs. extrovert: how your personality type impacts sleep <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sleep tips for introverts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n