Sleep & Your Emotions
New research from Canada suggests that the less sleep we get, the more we are inclined to react more emotionally to stress and the less likely we are to enjoy positive things. Worse, the researchers reported that habitually not getting enough sleep puts us at risk of chronic inflammation and earlier death. Psychology professor Nancy Sin, Ph.D., at the University of British Columbia wrote that when people experience something positive, “such as getting a hug or spending time in nature, they typically feel happier that day,” but when they don’t get enough sleep, they don’t get as big a boost from these positive events. She also noted that inadequate sleep increases the risk for mental disorders, chronic health conditions and premature death and added that her study showed “that even minor night-to-night fluctuations in sleep duration can have consequences in how people respond to events in their daily lives.” She emphasized that by making sleep a priority, people can have a better quality of life and protect their long-term health.
Source:
Nancy L. Sin et al, “Sleep duration and affective reactivity to stressors and positive events in daily life.” Health Psychology, September 15, 2020, DOI: 10.1037/hea0001033
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