Every day we encounter things that affect us in some way. Some are more positive and some are more negative. It is important to react to them properly without ruining your own mood. Scientists at the University of British Columbia found that people who did not sleep well react more emotionally to stressful events the next day and do not find much joy in positive things.
Negative things will bother you more and positive ones won’t bring much joy if you will not sleep well at night. Image credit: Emergency Brake via Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0)
Scientists analyzed sleep duration and reactions to positive and negative things of almost 2,000 people. Participants had to report the amount of sleep they got and how they reacted to various things that happened to them through the day. Scientists found that people who did not sleep well enough were bothered by stressful events more and didn’t experience as much joy in good things. In other words, people react better to both negative and positive events with more sleep.
Nancy Sin, lead author of the study, said: “A large body of research has shown that inadequate sleep increases the risk for mental disorders, chronic health conditions, and premature death. My study adds to this evidence by showing that even minor night-to-night fluctuations in sleep duration can have consequences in how people respond to events in their daily lives.”
Obviously, this research should inform millions of people that sleeping more helps maintain a better mood. Studies have shown that one in three adults do not sleep the recommended 7-8 hours per day, which probably affects their mood and productivity very negatively. Furthermore, sleep is also crucial for our immune system, memory and cognitive health in general. Also, scientists found that people with chronic health conditions gain an even larger benefit from sleep than healthy adults – their responses to positive things were even better the next day.
People are experiencing more stress now than ever. COVID-19 made many people jobless and others were locked inside of their homes, leading to extra stress, related to chores and taking care of children. You need your sleep to be able to face those challenges without losing your mind. It will also help you feel healthier, energized and productive.
Sleep is a very important physiological function of your body – just as important as drinking and eating. You simply need it and it affects so much – from your health to your productivity and mood. So make a point to have a better sleep tonight – spend less time scrolling through your phone and maintain a regular bedtime.
Source: UBC
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