New Study Shows Lack of Sleep Can Significantly Impact Mental Health
In a new study analyzing 50 years of research, it has been found that lack of sleep or poor sleep can greatly affect mood and mental well-being. The types of sleep loss studied include total sleep deprivation, partial sleep loss, and sleep fragmentation, all of which have been shown to reduce positive mood and increase feelings of anxiety.
According to the study, adults over the age of 18 need a minimum of seven hours of solid sleep at night in order to be healthy. However, alarming statistics reveal that more than 30% of adults have a daily sleep debt of over an hour, while nearly 1 in 10 adults are missing two or more hours of sleep each night.
The consequences of poor sleep go beyond just feeling tired during the day. Previous research has already linked it to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, dementia, and mood disorders. This new study further emphasizes the strong connections between mental health and sleep.
Among the findings, the study discovered that total sleep deprivation had a larger impact on mood, while even short periods of sleep loss still affected positive mood. It was also revealed that sleep loss impacts the neural circuitry involved in experiencing positive experiences and emotions, as well as impairs the connections between emotion centers of the brain and the prefrontal cortex.
Furthermore, the study showed that loss of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep resulted in more negative reactions to emotional experiences compared to slow-wave or “deep” sleep. Even individuals without known psychiatric or physical health conditions experienced worsened symptoms of anxiety and depression due to lack of sleep.
Chronic insomnia was highlighted as a particular concern, as it may increase the risk of developing a mood disorder such as depression or anxiety. More research is needed to determine the impact of poor sleep on individuals with existing mental disorders, as well as on teenagers and children.
The importance of prioritizing sleep as an act of self-care was emphasized by the researchers. They also called for systemic changes that support good-quality sleep, such as considering policies relating to school start times, working hours, shift patterns, and access to healthcare for sleep problems.
As the study’s findings shed light on the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on mental health, it is clear that sleep should no longer be neglected but rather given the attention it deserves for overall well-being.
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