How You Sleep Effects More Than Just Feeling Tired

A study spanning 50 years of research highlights the significant impact of poor sleep on mood and mental health. Researchers found that various forms of sleep loss, including total and partial deprivation lead to emotional changes, particularly reducing positive mood and increasing feelings of anxiety. Despite recommendations for adults to get at least seven hours of solid sleep each night for good health, many fall short, which can lead to a range of health issues including obesity, heart disease, dementia, and mood disorders.

Appearing in the American Psychological Association's journal titled Psychological Bulletin, the publishing analyzed data from 154 studies involving over 5,000 people. It found that total sleep deprivation had the most substantial impact on mood and emotions, even after short periods of sleep loss.

Sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta notes that poor quantity and quality of sleep are associated with feeling stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted, but normalizing sleep leads to improved mood. The study also explores the neurological reasons behind these effects, including impacts on neural circuitry involved in reward experiences and emotion processing. Loss of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep appears to worsen reactions to emotional experiences compared to other types of sleep loss.

In addition, sleep loss exacerbates symptoms of anxiety and depression even in individuals without known psychiatric or physical health conditions. Difficulty sleeping may also be an early sign of emerging mental disorders. Some options address these issues include systemic changes necessary to support good-quality sleep; policies related to school start times, working hours, and access to healthcare for sleep problems. Prioritizing sleep is essential for self-care, akin to eating well and exercising. From this perspective the foundation of your sleep surface is paramount to achieving the best possible results in daily life. At Mattress Brands, one of our favorite things to hear from customers is how much their life improved from the first morning they woke up feeling better, and how they can't wait to get home, wind down, and fall asleep better than ever. 

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