Sleep deprivation a top risk factor for poor mental health, finds Swedish institute study 

Psychologists say that chronic sleep deprivation can impact emotional perceptions negatively and make a person prone to psychiatric medical conditions in the long run.

Several studies have stated that sleep deprivation can be similar to being drunk and affect reaction time of a person. Poor sleep can affect a person psychologically prompting them to be negative and shun social contact.

The study conducted in five phases observed the impact of poor sleep on a person’s ability to mimic and respond to someone else’s emotions and how it effects a person’s ability to empathise with someone else’s pain. The study investigated the relationship between sleep restriction and emotional regulation and how is it related to brain network connectivity.

The MRI scans of 117 participants were assessed for brain activity in context of sleep loss and emotional perception. The study revealed that people who experienced sleep loss were more likely to interpret emotional stimuli negatively and react likewise.

The researchers say that poor transmission between the brain and responses due to loss of sleep affects the emotional responses and can turn out to be a top risk factor for poor mental health.

“Ultimately, the results of this research can help us understand how chronic sleep problems, sleepiness, and tiredness contribute to psychiatric conditions, such as by increasing the risk of depression,” says the lead researcher Sandra Tamm.

The parts of the brain responsible for emotions gets affected due to sleep deprivation.

“More often disturbances in sleep like difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep or waking up earlier than usual frequently could be a cause or a result of underlying psychological disorder. This could result in problems with attention, concentration, emotional reactivity, productivity at work or home owing to disruption of their Circadian rhythm can have impact on their biological, psychological as well as social functioning. Thus, sleep deprivation can affect the emotional response of an individual,” said Dr Vivian Kapil, psychiatrist, SIMS Hospital.

The amygdala, an area in the brain that controls emotions and the responsive control to the emotions can be affected by sleep deprivation, say medical experts.

“Lack of sleep for one day causes irritation, anger, stress and affects cognition even. There is a communication loss when the information is given to the brain in case of sleep deprivation. Thus, the response becomes impulsive and people tend to react differently than they would react if they slept well,” said Sneha George, psychologist, Fortis Malar Hospital.

Chronic sleeplessness can lead to depression in the long run, say psychologists. “Understanding and perceiving emotions affects the brain in a way that negative thoughts may get channelised. Sleep deprivation can lead to negative thoughts also called as repetitive negative cycles, that can also lead to self-blaming and frustrated behaviour,” adds Sneha George.