Lack of sleep doesn’t just make you feel groggy, it can also interfere with your brain’s ability to keep intrusive thoughts at bay.
a New study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences They found that sleep deprivation weakens the brain’s defenses against unwanted memories, causing them to flood your mind.
The hidden cost of sleep deprivation
It has long been known that sleep deprivation plays a major role in emotional regulation, but until now scientists weren’t sure why.
Researchers from the University of York and the University of East Anglia tested 85 healthy adults to find out. Half of them rested all night, but the other half stayed up all night.
The researchers used cutting-edge technology to monitor brain activity while showing participants faces paired with emotionally charged images, such as car crashes and fights. They were then asked to recall or suppress the scene associated with each face.
The results were surprising: the well-rested group had much more activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (the brain’s command center for thoughts, actions, and emotions) when suppressing negative memories. .
The sleep-deprived group, on the other hand, had a harder time suppressing intrusive thoughts and had reduced activity in key brain areas.
Notably, the rested participants also had reduced activity in the hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for memory recall), allowing them to “shut down” unwanted memories more effectively than sleep-deprived participants. It shows that it was done.
Understand the missing link
and one-third of US adults Suffering from sleep problems 26% face a diagnosable mental health condition Every year, new research can change the way we approach issues like these.
“Given that memory plays a central role in how we emotionally perceive the external world, failures in memory control may go a long way in explaining the relationship between sleep deprivation and emotion dysregulation. ,” said Marcus Harrington, the study’s lead author and a psychology instructor. At UEA.
Experts say understanding how sleep affects memory control could lead to breakthroughs in the treatment of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health conditions. I hope there is a possibility of a connection.
“[Now] Perhaps we can work on more targeted treatments and behavioral treatments that help improve sleep, which in turn supports the brain’s better adaptations and allows us to live a mentally healthy life. “This is likely to be the case,” said co-author Scott Cairney. in Research and a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of York.
sleep tips
Not getting enough shut-eye? Here are some science-backed tips from experts to help you sleep like a baby.
- stick to sleep schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body clock.
- establish relaxing bedtime routine: Avoid bright lights and screens at least an hour before bed. Instead, read a book, take a warm bath, or listen to calming music.
- Concentrate on your breathing. deep breathing exercises It reduces stress, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body, and stimulates the production of melatonin, an essential sleep hormone.
- Try sleep hacks: If you still find yourself tossing and turning, try techniques like the Alpha Bridge Technique, House Tour Sleep Hack, or Cognitive Shuffle. These quirky tricks are expected to help many people fall asleep.
If you’re still awake after 20 minutes, experts recommend: get out of bed Do something relaxing in another room, like reading or doing some light stretching. This prevents your bed from becoming a stress zone.
When you feel sleepy, hit the pillow and try these tips again.
