The Relationship Between Anger and Sleep
Have you ever had a really bad day where after eating dinner and settling down for the night, you feel totally beat? Or after getting into a debate, argument or fight with someone you feel super fatigued? You’re not alone. Experiencing fatigue or feeling tired after an emotional experience or stressful is a physical response your body has to those feelings.
But why does this happen? What makes you feel so sleepy after experiencing intense emotion?
Why Being Angry Makes You Sleepy
Anger is an intense emotion that has many physical symptoms and signs. Anger can be caused from anything as small as missing your turn while trying to something bigger like a fight or disagreement.
It is part of a flight or flight response and causes an increase in blood pressure. This gets blood moving to all parts of the body, raising your body temperature, accelerated heart rate and causing breathing to become shallower and faster. Basically, anger activates your body’s stress response.
This response is tiring to your body - especially when that anger is repetitive or happens over and over again for long periods of time. It depleted our bodies of extra energy, attention and focus.
Sleep is the body's way of replenishing and reenergizing itself. So once that anger has subsided, sleepiness settles in.
But Did You Know That Your Sleep Patterns Can Make You Feel Angrier?
Emotional regulation is directly related to rest and brain power. The journal of Sleep conducted a study in 2020 that uncovered that insufficient sleep or sleep deprivation can cause more feelings of anger in an individual. This is because a well-rested person is better at adapting to unexpected situations. This is true for other emotions as well. Being sleepy and sad or grumpy isn’t unique to children or babies. These findings support a 2018 study conducted at Iowa State University, too.
What Can You Do To Break The Sleep/Anger Cycle
If you find yourself becoming angry more often, reflect on your sleep cycles. Are you getting enough sleep?
If quality sleep is something that you’re lacking there are some things to try that can help improve it. Meditation is a popular sleep tool that can help to slow the central nervous system and make sleep come easier. White noise machines or sleep masks can make your sleep environment more comfortable. Spending time outside can help you sleep - and nature is helpful for mental health, too.
Sleep Better, Feel Better
So, does anger make you sleepy or does a lack of sleep make you angry? The answer is both. The relationship between sleep and anger or other intense emotions is not a one-way street. This is why it’s important to be aware of your emotions. Anger is a natural emotion and there’s nothing wrong with feeling it. But if it’s happening all the time, then sleep could be playing a part. Take care of your sleep and see how your emotions follow.