Our mood and sleep

Fatigue, nervousness and tension - poor or too little sleep not only harms our health, but can also have a decisive influence on our mood. Here you can find out how sleep affects our psyche, whether good sleep puts us in a good mood and what you can do to start the day positively in the morning.

Table of Contents

1. Good & bad moods
2. The psyche in sleep
3. This is how bad sleep damages your mood
1. Lack of sleep
2. Sleep disorders
3. Too much sleep
4. Start the day positively
5. Conclusion

1. Good & bad moods

The stressful everyday working life, the hectic family life or the dark, cold winter days can sometimes really affect our mood and make it difficult for us to get through the day in a good mood and optimistically. Our psyche reacts day after day to numerous internal and external stimuli that awaken emotions and influence our well-being and state of mind. But our sleep can also have an influence on our moods. It is no coincidence that we ask people in a bad mood whether they “got up on the wrong foot” in the morning.

The basis of our emotional reactions, feelings and sensations lies in our brain, more precisely in the so-called limbic system. Here, internal and external stimuli are recorded and processed, for example linked to memories and an emotional reaction is triggered by the release of various hormones. The reward system in our brain is particularly crucial for our state of mind. When we experience positive situations or events, the messenger substances dopamine and serotonin, also known as happiness hormones, are released and we experience positive feelings such as happiness, joy or optimism. Serotonin also has a calming effect on our nerves and well-being, promotes inner balance and, in a roundabout way, also promotes our sleep.

2. The psyche in sleep

Our reward systems and emotional processing of information are usually strongly related to sleep. Our body and brain regenerate particularly in the deep sleep phases. The energy stores are replenished and experiences and information are processed and stored in the brain. Undisturbed, peaceful sleep is therefore not only of great importance for the healthy functioning of our organism, but is also crucial for our mental health and emotional state.

And a healthy sleep-wake rhythm is also good for our mood, which in turn has a positive effect on sleep itself. During the day, the body releases more of the happiness hormone serotonin, which promotes a positive mood, calms our nervous system and counteracts negative feelings caused by stress or overstimulation. Towards the evening, serotonin is converted into the sleep hormone melatonin, which makes us tired and enables us to sleep. At night our body is at a low level of performance, the body temperature drops and the serotonin level drops. This creates the famous nocturnal low mood, which then manifests itself during nightly waking phases through negative thoughts or extensive brooding.

3. This is how bad sleep damages your mood

Scientific studies have shown that our mood is influenced by how long we sleep, but especially by the quality of our sleep. Why is that?

Lack of sleep

Lack of sleep and frequent sleep interruptions prevent our regeneration from proceeding optimally and mean that we do not get enough deep sleep. This puts the body under stress, causing our cortisol levels to rise and causing numerous negative consequences for our health and well-being. We are tired, have less energy, are irritated more quickly and are less able to concentrate. Of course, this also dampens our mood the next day and can in turn have a negative impact on sleep because we put ourselves under pressure and find it difficult to relax.

Sleep disorders

In particular, interrupted and disturbed night sleep can have an impact on the mood and our emotional perception. Frequent awakenings disrupt the natural sleep cycles and thus reduce the amount of deep sleep. Various studies show that frequent awakenings had a negative impact on the subjects' mood, making them less receptive to positive stimuli and more receptive to negative stimuli. Those test subjects whose sleep was interrupted several times during the night were less sensitive to positive emotions such as joy and happiness and, on the contrary, reacted more strongly to negative feelings such as anger or fear. It also became clear that the test subjects were not able to properly perceive and enjoy positive experiences.

How we spend our waking hours at night is also crucial. If it is difficult to fall asleep again, the famous carousel of thoughts often begins or we put ourselves under pressure, which increases the stress level again and further prevents a peaceful sleep.

Too much sleep

But too much sleep can also harm our mood and even make depressive moods worse. In addition to sufficient deep sleep, dream sleep (REM sleep), in which our brain is particularly active, is an important basis for healthy brain function and a stable psyche. Studies even show that people who suffer from sleep disorders are five times more likely to develop depression.

4. Start the day positively

Good sleep = good mood? Enough and, above all, undisturbed sleep plays a crucial role in how we feel during the day. With a healthy sleep at night, enough daylight, exercise in the fresh air and positive experiences during the day, you can also support the release of happiness hormones and fall asleep in the evening. And your daily diet and vitamin supply can also help you keep your hormone levels in balance, sleep better and thus maintain a good mood. This way you can fall asleep relaxed in the evening and start the day balanced, optimistic and in a good mood.

You can find out how you can start the day more motivated with the perfect morning routine in this article.

5. Conclusion

• Our mood is determined by positive or negative emotional reactions in the brain

• Lack of sleep, sleep disorders and too much sleep damage mental health and get in the way of positive emotions and moods

• Negative sensations affect the mood and in turn disrupt healthy, restful sleep

• Healthy sleep, sufficient exercise and the right diet promote the release of happiness hormones and have a positive effect on your mood.

Greetings and see you soon!