Insomnia And Chronic Negativity How Lack Of Sleep Affects Mood

Why a lack of sleep may be affecting your mood? Do you lack enthusiasm, and seem to have a negative attitude? Have you recently been edgy and agitated, causing you to snap at people? All of these problems can be connected with a lack of good quality sleep. You should ensure that you get between seven and nine hours sleep each night. But, you also need to ensure that you are getting the right quality of sleep, in order for it to be fully effective.

We are going to explain how a lack of sleep is often closely associated with conditions such as anxiety and depression. We are also going to examine why the quality of the sleep you get may be even more important than the quantity.

What is the connection between sleep and mood?

According to information from Harvard University, 15-20% of people who suffer from insomnia can go on to develop severe depression. What is not completely clear is which comes first, the beginning of the mood change, or the onset of sleep problems. There is a good chance that both sleep issues and mood problems can come first, and then adversely affect the other.

For instance, if you have a week of getting less sleep than you need, you will probably end up feeling down, stressed and agitated, by the end of the seven days. Conversely, if you are experiencing problems in your life that are causing you to feel anxious, it’s likely that you will find it harder to sleep. This can then lead to your mood worsening and you end up stuck in a vicious circle.

Why is the quality of sleep you get so important?

It’s not just the amount of sleep you get that is important. According to the journal Sleep, interrupted sleep can be worse than lack of sleep. New parents who are constantly being woken by the sound of their baby crying can probably appreciate this.

It’s important to try and ensure that you get to sleep quickly, and that you remain asleep during the night. Here are some tips to help you do this:

• Make sure you have a supportive and comfortable mattress; read more about this.
• Make sure that the room where you are sleeping is as dark as possible.
• Eliminate blue light by switching off electrical appliances.
• Go to bed to sleep, and not do other things such as watch TV.
• Develop a regular sleep routine.
• Relax in the couple of hours before you sleep.
• Do not eat or drink anything that contains caffeine in the couple of hours before bed.

All of these tips can help you to get the high-quality sleep that you need.

The information we have provided in this article can help you address any sleep problems you are having. However, if you continue to have problems sleeping, or you are feeling depressed or anxious, it’s a good idea to seek medical advice, to help with your problem.