Poor sleep can make you susceptible to a wide range of physical and mental health issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and anxiety. But new research indicates it may also increase the chances of yet another unwanted outcome: embracing conspiracy theories.

Both poor sleep quality and insomnia were found to be positively linked to the endorsement of conspiracy theories, and depression emerged as an underlying factor that contributed to this link. Anger and paranoia also played a role, but their effects were less consistent.

A new study from the University of Nottingham has revealed that poor sleep quality may increase susceptibility to conspiracy beliefs, with depression likely playing a key role in this relationship.

The findings confirmed that poor sleep quality was linked to conspiracy belief, with depression being the strongest link between the two. In other words, increased depression helped explain why poor sleep quality is associated with conspiratorial thinking.

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.