Here’s Why You’re Not You When You Lack Sleep

Amy Taylor November 08, 2016

You know you are not you when you’re hungry. But did you know you’re also not you when you lack sleep? Emerging research suggests that sleep deprivation or prolonged restricted sleep could lead to increasing irritability, worsening mood, feelings of depression, anger, and anxiety.

The Brain under Sleep Deprivation

The first known study about the negative effects of sleeplessness was published in 1896. Since then, many other scientific investigations came out, linking sleep deprivation with many mental health problems, from anxiety to impairment in decision-making, emotional intelligence, arousal, and cognitive speed.

In one study, sleep deprived participants were shown emotionally negative images, activity levels in the amygdala were as much as 60 per cent higher than levels in those who were rested. The reason is that lack of sleep has a direct impact on the amygdala - the part of the brain which controls emotional responses. When sleep deprived participants were shown emotionally negative images, activity levels in the amygdala were as much as 60 per cent higher than levels in those who were rested.

It turns out, sleep deprivation appears to cause the amygdala to overreact to negative stimuli because it becomes disconnected from brain areas that normally moderate its response.

Apart from the amygdala, another part of the brain that heavily suffers when you lack sleep is the hippocampus. This is the region that is responsible for storing new memories. Previously, research has shown that students who were deprived of sleep for even one night, their ability to memorize new information drops significantly. In addition, the hippocampus also needs sleep for it to effectively transfer new information into long-term memories. When the brain lacks sleep, the storage capacity of the hippocampus piles up easily, preventing new information from being stored. Another study by the University of Washington which involved more than 1,700 twins, found that people who sleep less than five hours per night are twice more likely to suffer from depression.

Like diet and exercise, sleep plays an equally important role in your overall health. So make sure you are getting enough rest - about 7 to 8 hours per night. If you think you are experiencing sleep issues, consider talking to a therapist. Sleep disorders can be addressed by varying types of therapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

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