A new study by the University of Nottingham has revealed that poor sleep quality can increase sensitivity to conspiracy beliefs, with depression likely playing a key role in this relationship.
Experts from the University School of Psychology examined the relationship between sleep quality and conspiracy beliefs in two studies involving more than 1,000 participants. Their findings, published in Newspaper of health psychologyThey indicate that people with poorer sleep quality last month were more likely to support conspiracy theories, especially after exposure to conspiracy.
Conspiracy theories argue that powerful, secret groups act in their own interest, at the expense of society. These beliefs can have serious consequences, such as increasing vaccine hesitation, skepticism of climate change and political mistrust.
In their first study, 540 participants completed a standard quality assessment of sleep quality before reading an article on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Some were exposed to a narrative conspiracy that indicates a deliberate coverage, while others read a real account that attributes the fire to an accident. The researchers found that those with poorer sleep quality were more likely to believe the conspiracy version of the events.
A second study with 575 participants expanded to these findings exploring the underlying psychological mechanisms that explain the relationship between the poor quality of sleep and conspiracy beliefs. The results showed that both poor sleep quality and insomnia were positively linked to the approval of conspiracy theories, with depression appearing as a mechanism. Anger and paranoia also played a role, but their effects were less consistent.
Dr. Daniel Jolley, Assistant Professor in Social Psychology, led the research team he included, researcher Dr Iwan Dinnick and recent graduates Lauren Burgin, Sophie Ryan, Olivia Morgan-Finn and Samuel Mover.
Sleep is vital to mental health and cognitive function. Bad sleep has been shown to increase the risk of depression, anxiety and paranoia – factors that also contribute to conspiracy beliefs. Our research suggests that improving sleep quality could serve as a protective factor against the spread of conspiracy thinking “
Dr. Daniel Jolley, Assistant Professor in Social Psychology, University of Nottingham
These findings emphasize the possibility of sleeping interventions to alleviate sensitivity to conspiracy theories. Treating sleep quality, people can be better equipped to critically evaluate information and resist misleading narratives.
Source:
Magazine report:
Jolley, D., et al. (2025) Investigating the relationship between sleep quality and faith in conspiracy theories. Newspaper of health psychology. Doi.org/10.1177/13591053251320598.
