Sleep and Emotions: How Rest and Sleep Shape Your Mood Sleep encompasses more than being a physical break from your day; it serves as the basis for emotional wellness and mental stability. To sleep is to experience profound processes in your brain, as your emotional state and ability to react and cope with daily stressors are influenced while you sleep. Understanding the relationship between sleep and emotions, and processing experiences, highlights the important role of sleep for emotional cues, mood, and overall resiliency.
The use of sleep and emotional processing science
While sleeping, our brains experience several emotional processing mechanisms that cannot occur while awake. The sleeping brain categorizes daily experience and synthesizes emotional memories, along with leveling neurotransmitters that influence mood. This property of sleep is necessary for psychological welfare, and it highlights how quickly emotional instability occurs with sleep loss.
The amygdala and emotional connection to sleep
The amygdala is the emotional alarm in our brains. Neuroimaging studies indicate that the amygdala is overactive in individuals who have sleep loss. To be precise, research indicates that sleep loss can lead to a 60% increase in the amygdala’s reactivity, which leads to increased potential to react intensely to some negative emotion. Along with the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex is also an area of the brain that is less active due to tiredness. This leads to a situation where the individual has a heightened reaction to emotion, but does not have the cognitive tools to manage that emotion.
Neurotransmitter Balance During Sleep
Sleep influences the production and management of mood-regulating neurotransmitters:
Serotonin: Adequate sleep helps maintain appropriate serotonin levels, which stabilizes our mood.
Dopamine: Good sleep allows for the proper functioning of dopamine, which impacts motivation and pleasure.
GABA: Sleep promotes the production of GABA, which facilitates calmness and helps reduce anxiety.
Norepinephrine: Normal sleep cycles regulate norepinephrine, which prevents our emotions from becoming overactive during daily stressors.
When we experience inadequate sleep, the chemical messengers in the brain become difficult to balance, and consequently, we can develop mood disorders or find our moods to be variable.
How Sleep Deprivation Affects Emotional Regulation
Sleep deprivation can lead to a string of emotional difficulties that build momentum. Even mild sleep loss has been shown to significantly alter our ability to effectively manage and process emotions.
The impacts of sleep deprivation are far beyond feeling tired and fatigued. Sleep deprivation talks about chronic changes in how we ultimately view the world around us and how we respond.
Immediate Effects on Emotions:
With just one night of sleep deprivation, we are able to see more immediate changes in the way we manage a variety of emotions.
Increased irritability: Frustration becomes overwhelming, becoming a triggering event for greater emotions and behavior.
Decreased empathy: Lack of sleep diminishes our ability to relate to or understand others’ emotions.
Increased anxiety: We have more dilemma-based thinking, which leaves worry thoughts harder to dismiss.
Mood shifts: Emotions become elevated or diminished more easily throughout the ongoing day.
Long-term effects of sleep on mood
A lack of sleep over long periods causes chronic alterations in the brain’s interpretation of emotions:
The risk of depression: People sleeping less than 6 hours each night are at three times the risk of depression.
Risk of anxiety disorders: Chronic sleep loss significantly raises the risk of developing anxiety disorders.
Emotional dysregulation: Long-term sleep debt has lasting effects on emotional reactivity.
Interpersonal relationships: Poor sleep quality can negatively affect relationships and communication.
The stages of sleep and emotional health
Each component of a sleep cycle is important to mood regulation and emotional processing. Recognizing these components helps to explain the importance of sleep quality and quantity in relation to emotional well-being. Disruptions to any of the stages can lead to emotional instability.
Rapid eye movement and emotional memory
Rapid eye movement (REM) plays the most important role in the consolidation of emotional memory. During cognitive modes of REM sleep, the brain is intensely assimilating the day’s emotional experiences into deeper memory storage in a way that reduces their emotionality. This helps to wake up the next day with decreased worry and anxiety about things that precipitated worry and anxiety in the past. The person feels more ready to engage in any new attachment and emotional episodes.
Deep Sleep and Mood Restoration
Deep sleep stages are essential for restoring neurotransmitters that regulate mood. During deep sleep, the growth hormone is released, which plays a dominant role in brain restoration and neurotransmitter synthesis. The brain cannot restore the necessary chemical balance needed for a stable mood and better emotional resilience without appropriate deep sleep.
Sleep Disorders and Mood Disturbances
There are many sleep disorders that can contribute to mood problems. The sleep disturbance leads to poor mood, which then results in reduced sleep quality. Understanding the relationship between sleep and mood can help determine when evaluation for sleep may be warranted for emotional well-being.
Insomnia and Depression
The relationship between insomnia and depression is bidirectional, meaning that each disorder increases the likelihood of the other disorder. Chronic insomnia often occurs several months or years before the onset of depression. People with insomnia are 10 times more likely to become depressed than those who sleep well.
Sleep Apnea and Emotional Volatility
Sleep apnea results in the disruption of the integral sleep stages that help to restore energy at night. These frequent sleep interruptions can either contribute to prolonged daytime fatigue or lead to increased emotional problems, or both:
Higher prevalence of depressed mood: Patients with sleep apnea are at a 5-fold greater risk for developing depression
Increased anxiety: Frequent sleep disturbance increases generalized worry and anxiety
Executive dysfunction: Poor sleep can compromise decision-making and emotion regulation
Disruption of relationships: Mood dysregulation from sleep apnea can create distance in personal relationships
Concrete Strategies to Improve Sleep and Mood
To enhance sleep quality, sleep hygiene interventions are necessary, as well as consideration for emotional readiness for sleep. One complements the other, improving both sleep and subsequent mood state.
The most effective interventions incorporate some form of behavioral and environmental modification.
Preparing to Wind Down Emotionally
In many respects, preparing emotionally for sleep is as or more important than preparing physically:
Worry log: Document any worries 2-3 hours before bedtime so you can unclutter your mind of busy thoughts
Gratitude/joy log: Document 1-3 positive experiences for the day to initiate relaxation
Gentle reflection as a wind down: Gently acknowledge your feelings, but do not require planning or problem solving
Forgiveness on an interpersonal level or self: Allow any emotional stress from the day to resolve so you can move on
All emotional preparation serves the role of facilitating the process of unwinding by minimizing racing thoughts and anxiety.
Improving Sleep Conditions
Your sleep conditions can greatly influence your sleep quality and emotional recovery:
Temperature: Keep bedrooms between 65-68°F for the best sleep conditions and Regulation of sleep and mood.
Light: Use blackout curtains or eye masks to help maintain natural circadian rhythms.
Noise: Develop quiet areas or introduce white noise in an effort to keep sleep from being disrupted.
Comfort: Invest in mattresses and pillows that provide further comfort to sleep deeply.
Managing Evening Anxiety and Stress
Managing evening anxiety is particularly effective for sleep quality and the next-day mood:
Progressive muscle relaxation: Alleviate physical-related tension using progressive muscle relaxation.
Deep breathing: Control excessive breathing effort to manage the body’s natural responses to relaxation.
Meditation mindfulness: Relax the mind from overly excessive thinking with mindfulness practice.
Background noise: Limit news, emails, work, and conversation in the hour before bedtime.
Timing of Sleep and Emotional Mood
When you sleep is just as important to emotional well-being as how long you sleep. Our circadian rhythms can influence the production of hormones regulating mood throughout the 24-hour sleep cycle. Sleeping at a time aligned with our natural biological rhythm can help improve emotional regulation and mood stability.
Circadian Rhythm and Mood Regulation
The internal biological clock you have plays a role in regulating the timing of hormones pertinent to your mood:
Cortisol patterns: This stress-related hormone has a normal pattern of peaking first thing in the morning with natural declines throughout the day. Melatonin production: The hormone promoting sleep begins to rise in the evening hours to prepare you for sleep onset. Body temperature cycles: Core temperature decreases naturally in the evening to help promote sleep onset. Neurotransmitter patterns: Chemical signals that help with mood regulation also have natural patterns.
Optimal Time to Sleep for Mood
Research shows that most people experience optimal circadian alignment and have healthy sleep if they sleep between 10 PM and 6 AM. During this timeframe, there is a tendency for:
Optimal deep sleep occurs during the best restorative time: Deep sleep is generally witnessed in the early hours of sleep; these hours are more restorative to physical recovery and lead to better mood regulation and less daytime sleepiness. REM sleep occurs towards the final stage of the sleep cycle. During late sleep, REM dominates the sleep cycle; REM is conducive to the processing of mood and emotions. Natural light exposure: Waking at this time would contribute to aligning sleep with natural light patterns; we are circadian creatures evolved to take full advantage of waking with the sun. Cortisol and melatonin hormones would also be in sync with cortisol rhythms rising in the day and melatonin peaks in the early evening hours, supporting healthy emotional regulation.
Sleep Quality vs. Quantity for Emotional Health
Sleep duration matters when it comes to mood, but quality of sleep will often have an effect on emotional health and well-being. Regardless of hours of sleep, if the quality is poor, you are not receiving the necessary restorative processes to help with mood regulation.
Understanding the appropriate markers assists with prioritizing improvements that are most helpful towards emotional health.
Indicators of Quality Sleep
Quality sleep that promotes emotional well-being is characterized by:
Fast sleep onset: Falling asleep in 15-20 minutes indicates you are well-prepared for sleep Minimal awakening during the night: Staying asleep throughout the night allows you to complete sleep cycles Waking feeling refreshed: Awaking full of energy rather than tired and groggy Consistent times: Going to bed and waking in the morning as part of an on-going routine that allows for stability in sleep cycle
Strategies for Improving Sleep Quality
Improving sleep quality can involve making changes to factors that may either awaken you or diminish the depths of your sleep:
Reduce caffeine: Prevent sleep disruptions by not drinking caffeinated beverages past 2 PM
Monitor fluid intake: Be sure you are well-hydrated, but that you don’t overdo it drinking fluids in the evening (or again, you’ll be heading to the loo all night long)
Address pain or discomfort: Attend to physical ailments that arose from the day or before, being cognizant of pain.
Change your sleep positions: Use pillows and posturing that allow you to sleep soundly through the night.
Long-term Sleep-Mood Health Improvement
Making lasting changes in quality of sleep and/or emotional well-being means you will need to change your behavior to make it long-lasting. In other words, long-term change occurs by developing habits to stay comfortably rested for mood resilience.
The objective is to create a lifestyle that will allow you to develop good sleep and a stable mood over time!
Incorporation of Lifestyle Change
Sleep-mood optimization success is part of life rather than an added load:
Bright light in the morning – At the start of each day, expose yourself to natural light to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Regular exercise – Getting some physical activity early in the day will help you sleep in the evening. Regular mealtimes – Being regular about your eating has a positive impact on stabilizing your circadian rhythms. Social connection – Receiving meaningful friendships has positive benefits for sleep as well as emotional well-being.
Monitoring and evaluation
Once you have identified a successful strategy, long-term success will involve ongoing monitoring and evaluation:
Sleep tracking- Identifying patterns of sleep can help you know what keeps you awake or helps you sleep.
Moody journal- Keep track of readings of your mood readings with evaluation of your sleeping quality and how much sleep, and when.
Continuous evaluation and adjustment- Evaluating and adjusting your aims from time to time as you begin new lifestyles or plans each season.
Professional support – Seeking professional support for sleeping problems can be important when sleeping problems persist despite lifestyle adjustments.
When to Seek Professional Support
A number of sleep-mood challenges respond to lifestyle changes, however, not all of them. The ability to detect when the challenges warrant professional support avoids frustrating minor difficulties from becoming larger mental health challenges, as that can have added complications.
Early intervention is essential to avoid chronic sleeping and mood problems.
Cues for Professionals
Some symptoms indicate that it is time to seek medical or psychological help. These include:
Chronic insomnia: Ongoing difficulties sleeping for more than a few weeks. Significant changes in mood: Depression or anxiety that interfere with everyday life and functioning. Breathing difficulty during sleep: Snoring, gasping for air, and cessation of breathing while sleeping. Significant daytime tiredness or fatigue: Extreme exhaustion that does not benefit from simply sleeping long enough at night.
Treatment Options
Treatment options by professionals for sleep and mood disorders are:
1. Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): Evidence-based interventions for sleep and mood.
2. Sleep study: Comprehensive evaluation of sleep disorders.
3. Medication: Medication evaluation and management for sleep aids and mood medications.
4. Collaborative options: The medications and CBT-I can engage both sleep and mood disorders together.
