Sleep Impacts Mood and Mental Health, Reveals 50-Year Study: Less Sleep Equals More Anxiety and Poor Emotional Well-being.
A new study, analyzing 50 years of research, shows that insufficient or poor-quality sleep can significantly affect mood and mental health.
The study, published in the American Psychological Association’s journal Psychological Bulletin, found that all forms of sleep loss, including total sleep deprivation, partial sleep loss, and sleep fragmentation, lead to emotional changes.
The strongest effect observed was a reduction in positive mood, along with increased feelings of anxiety.
The research, based on data from 154 studies involving over 5,000 participants, revealed that total sleep deprivation had a more substantial impact on mood compared to partial sleep loss or fragmented sleep. Even short periods of sleep loss, like staying up an hour or two later than usual, affected positive mood. The study emphasized the strong connection between mental health and sleep.
The brain plays a crucial role in this relationship, as sleep loss impacts neural circuitry involved in experiencing reward and positive experiences. Additionally, connections between emotion centers of the brain and the prefrontal cortex, responsible for controlling emotional reactions, are impaired.
The study highlighted that reactions to emotional experiences were more negative after the loss of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep compared to losing slow-wave or “deep” sleep. Both types of sleep are important, with REM sleep linked to processing emotional memories and deep sleep associated with reward centers of the brain, influencing responses to positive emotional situations.
Furthermore, the study found that sleep loss worsened symptoms of anxiety and depression, even in individuals without known psychiatric or physical health conditions. Chronic insomnia may increase the risk of developing mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
It’s essential to convey this vital information in simple terms for everyone to understand. In everyday language, the study tells us that not getting enough good-quality sleep can make us feel more anxious, less happy, and impact our ability to handle emotions. Sleep is like a reset button for our mental well-being, and prioritizing it is crucial for good health.
Credit is given to CNN as the source of the information.
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/21/health/sleep-mental-health-wellness/index.html