The new study has confirmed that even a single or two hours of sleep lost occasionally can take a severe toll on our mental and emotional well-being in the long term. If you have been neglecting giving your body the adequate rest that it needs then you might be doing more harm than you realize as has been suggested by this research. The study is titled “Sleep Loss and Emotion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Over 50 Years of Experimental Research” and was published for public view on 21 December.
Research from over 150 studies conducted in 28 countries between 1966 and 2022 was analyzed by experts to reveal that mild sleep deprivation also has an impact on our minds. The study was published in the Psychology Bulletin of the American Psychological Association and the researchers of the study belonged to Montana State University and University of East Anglia.
The Research On Sleep Loss
According to the lead author, Cara Palmer who stated that this research has been the most comprehensive of all studies on sleep and has revealed significant results showing that even broken slumber, nighttime awakenings, and a couple of hours of poor or shortened sleep can have a greater impact on our mood and mental well being than we realize.
Even occasional disturbed resting can cause anxiety and feelings of discontent. In each case examined by Palmer and her research team, individuals aged between 7 and 79, all of whom were reported as healthy, experienced disturbances in their sleep, or were required to rest for shorter durations than usual. Following these conditions, participants were either asked to self-report their mood or assess their levels of depression and anxiety.
Across almost all of the 154 scrutinized studies, the researchers found that sleep disruptions led to a decrease in positive emotions such as joy, happiness, and contentment among participants. Additionally, there was an observed increase in anxiety symptoms, including a rapid heart rate and heightened worrying.
Furthermore, it has been proven that continued loss of long hours of sleep or poor quality resting for days on end can have far worse implications on the mental well being of individuals. There is substantial evidence indicating that inadequate sleep directly contributes to the onset of emotional challenges and mood disorders throughout one’s entire life.
How sleep is connected to our emotions?
The study looked at how lack of sleep relates to emotional issues like anxiety and depression. It considered factors such as the amount of sleep lost and whether the impact on emotions is linear or not, and the effects of different sleep stages (REM and SWS). Additionally, the researchers explored whether age and gender influence how people respond emotionally to sleep loss.
The study shows that not getting enough rest whether it is from deprivation, restriction, or fragmented sleep has the biggest and most consistent impact on reducing positive feelings. This aligns with everyday studies showing that having sufficient rest is crucial for experiencing positive emotions. When positive feelings decrease it leads to a lower quality of life and mental health issues. This also includes disorders marked by a reduced ability to feel joy or even be hopeful and a lack of response to rewards.
Furthermore, the research also mentions that “Reductions in positive affect may serve as a bridge between persistent sleep loss and the development of various psychiatric disorders due to altered functioning of neural circuitry” suggesting that lack of proper rest is directly linked to mental illnesses.
Impacts of Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation has been proven to compromise the mental health of over 78% of adult individuals. Industries and occupations characterized by a higher risk of being unrested, such as first responders, pilots, and truck drivers, should give priority to incorporating rest focused policies. This emphasis is crucial to safeguard the overall well-being and daytime performance of their workforce.
There has been a tendency to downplay the importance of rest in our busy scheduled lives. Continued sleep deprivation can render us with mental blocks, brain fog, and fatigue that prevent us from working. What is more concerning is how it can affect our mental and emotional health impacting our decision making and perception of the world. Furthermore, it can cause hormonal disruptions and worsen already existing mental illnesses.
Tips to sleep well
- Maintain a consistent schedule, aiming for at least seven hours of slumber.
- Steer clear of heavy meals, nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime.
- Create a conducive rest environment with a cool, dark, and quiet room.
- Limit daytime naps to one hour, and include regular physical activity in your routine, avoiding exercise close to bedtime.
- Manage worries by addressing them before slumber and consider stress-reducing activities like meditation.
Check out this guide to healthy sleep here.
If you have trouble getting rest at night then talk to your healthcare provider about the concerns that you are facing. It could be a sign of an underlying issue.
Neuroscientist Dr. Sid Warrier has said that burnout results from rest deficit and powering through work. Check out his video on what it means to rest the right way.
In this humdrum of daily life filled with tasks and work schedules it becomes a common practice to miss out on sleep and rest. Cara Palmer’s research reminds us that caring for ourselves also means not overworking our bodies, taking a break, and giving it the rest it needs.
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