Why lack of sleep can improve mood: scientists explain the phenomenon

Recent studies have shown that lack of sleep has more serious consequences than previously thought. The study showed that even if you lose 30-60 minutes of sleep a day, you can get serious health problems. This primarily concerns diseases of the cardiovascular system. Within a month and a half after a reduction in sleep, inflammation and cell dysfunction begin to appear.

However, there is another paradox: scientists have determined that acute sleep deprivation sometimes causes the release of dopamine, which contributes to a temporary improvement in mood. The details were reported by Neuron.

The study was conducted by scientists from Northwestern University. Experiments were conducted on mice: acute sleep deprivation caused a sharp release of dopamine in animals. This caused temporary increased activity and improved mood.

The point of the research was initially to correlate the impact of different experiences on mood stability. A group of scientists led by Mingzheng Wu studied dopamine reactions in the brain during mood disorders, depression, antidepressant use, etc.

When mice were sleep-deprived, the researchers noticed that the animals became hyperactive. They also noted increased aggression and changes in sexual behavior.

After that, they analyzed dopamine activity in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and hypothalamus of sleep-deprived mice and well-rested mice. The nucleus accumbens and hypothalamus are responsible for the hyperactivity of animals, and the prefrontal cortex is associated with an excitatory effect and improved mood.

Thus, fluctuations in dopamine levels affect different parts of the brain. There is an increase in neuroplasticity in the prefrontal cortex, which may explain the prolonged mood elevation.

Of course, the studies are quite conditional and the results cannot be used to treat depression, for example. Sleep deprivation is a serious condition that leads to affective disorders. Scientists hope that the results of the experiments will help in the development of treatments for sleep disorders.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA shared an interesting method that will ensure fast falling asleep and healthy sleep.

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