Learn How Lack of Sleep Negatively Affects Your Mood

Intro

The recommended amount of sleep is 7 - 9 hours a night. If neglected, your mood will change and you'll start to feel cranky. We all know what that feels like, and it's the worst when it affects other people, too. You don't want to be that person. In this article, we'll explain why sleep is important for your mood and how you should start sleeping on track from here on out.

Why sleep is important

Whether you're a college student or a busy-body, you can't compromise on your sleep. When you sleep at night, your body repairs itself down to the cellular level. Your brain also uses this time to process and restore memories. Not only does this promotes healthy brain function, but your emotions will be less erratic.

How so, you may ask? When a person falls into "deep sleep", or REM sleep, a part of your brain called the amygdala can regulate emotions more effectively. Your emotions are directly tied to your mood. So if your emotions are left unchecked, it will affect your mood the next morning. Hence why you feel cranky! If lack of sleep continues, anxiety, depression, and poor judgment will follow.

If you’re already anxious, you’ll find it tougher to fall asleep. It’s a known fact that stress and everything related will keep a person up at night. Sleep helps us regulate our stress and anything that contributes to it. Without that REM sleep, your emotions will run amok. In other words, you won't be the person someone wants to hang around with.

If your lack of sleep continues, your mood won't be the only thing affected anymore. Health issues will soon emerge, such as heart disease, which need treatment from a doctor. Your weight will even change, and this could lead to diabetes later in life. If you’ve ever felt hungry in the middle of the night, it’s because your leptin and ghrelin levels are shifting. Both hormones regulate hunger levels, causing you to have those "cravings". Don't let it get to this point!

Jonathan Stevens cares about your health and wants to make sure you sleep a healthy life. Continue reading to get your sleep on track!

Sleep on track

To prevent sleep deprivation, one needs to sleep! But getting back on track can be tough. Especially if you’ve been lacking sleep for so long. The best way is keeping to a schedule, which will involve discipline and self-control on your part.

Knowing that you need 7 - 9 hours of sleep, you need to plan ahead and schedule your bedtime. Going to bed at the same time every night on a consistent basis will help establish that routine. To help you do this, refrain from caffeine and afternoon naps if you can. Keeping from those things will help you fall asleep when the time comes.

You also need to consider your sleep environment. If you read our article, you'll notice we start with your mattress. 9 out of 10 people have said that their mattress is important to their sleep. So it's no wonder why Sleep Foundation has said 75% of adults complain about sleeping well. Your mattress could be the cause!

If your mattress is the cause, then it's time to look for a new one. Jonathan Stevens has provided a mattress guide for you to read. Keep in mind, as you’ll read in our article, that spinal alignment and pressure points are important. If you ignore those two factors, you’ll have a tough time falling asleep. On top of that, you’ll feel sore in the morning.

(We'll give you hint, your back needs to be straight, and you need to be comfortable!)

Stay in a good mood, stay asleep

Don't fall prey to your lack of sleep. Be discipline and sleep on track. Create a sleep environment for yourself so you can start sleeping tonight! Don't just buy any mattress, either. Consider the two factors we've mentioned: spinal alignment and pressure points. Don't ignore them, other wise your mood won't be the only thing affected. Take control now and start giving yourself the comfortable sleep you deserve today.