According to new studies from the university of California, missing a night’s sleep can leave the brain anxious the next day.
The study involved 18 healthy volunteers. They had to either stay up all night or have a full nights sleep. The following morning, each person took a test to gauge signs of anxiety. The volunteers were required to watch short videos to spark emotional reactions. A brain scanner was used to record patterns of brain activity as the volunteers watched.
The next night, the volunteers switched groups. Volunteers who slept the first time now had to stay up all night and vice versa. The next morning, each repeated the anxiety test and brain scan.
Tests showed sleep makes a big difference. Staying up all night increased anxiety levels 30 percent above those that had a full night’s sleep. Only one sleepless night boosted anxiety in healthy volunteers to levels seen in people with anxiety disorders.
Sections of their brains involved in emotions were more active than usual when they watched emotional videos. The area of the brain that stops anxiety, known as the prefrontal cortex, was less active that usual.
