Sleep Loss Can Impact Mood and Mental Health
A new study analyzing 50 years of research suggests that not getting enough sleep or sleeping poorly can greatly affect your mood and mental health. The study, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin of the American Psychological Association, found that all forms of sleep loss—complete sleep deprivation, partial sleep loss, and sleep fragmentation—can cause emotional changes, with the strongest and most consistent effect being a reduction in positive mood.
Cara Palmer, assistant professor and director of the Sleep and Development Laboratory at Montana State University, states that sleep loss also increased feelings of anxiety, and people were more likely to report reacting differently than those who were well-rested. Furthermore, adults 18 and older need at least seven hours of restful sleep a night to stay healthy, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Despite these guidelines, more than 30% of adults have a daily sleep debt of more than one hour, and almost 1 in 10 adults are two hours short or more each night, according to a recent study. This is a concerning trend, as insufficient sleep has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, dementia, and mood disorders.
The research also found that emotional experiences are more negative after loss of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep compared to other types of sleep disturbances. Slow-wave sleep, on the other hand, could be linked to the brain’s reward centers, influencing responses to positive emotional situations.
Overall, the study highlights the close relationship between mental health and sleep, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing sleep as part of self-care and promoting systemic changes to support good quality sleep. Whether it’s considering policies related to school start times, work hours, shift patterns, or access to healthcare that supports the treatment of sleep problems, the impact of sleep on emotional health is clear.