The Interplay Between Sleep and Emotion Regulation: Conceptual Framework Empirical Evidence and Future Directions

Abstract

Emotions are biologically-based responses that help an organism meet challenges and opportunities, and involve changes in subjective experience, behavior, and physiology. Emotions arise when something important to us is at stake. Although many factors have been associated with healthy emotional regulation, the role of sleep in this process has been largely ignored. Recent studies, however, have begun to delineate how sleep critically affects emotional functioning. Nighttime sleep affects daytime mood, emotional reactivity and the capacity to regulate positive and negative emotions; conversely, daytime experiences affect sleep. Hence, there is a complex interplay between sleep and emotional regulation. The objective of this article is to examine this interplay in adults. This objective is addressed by utilizing a framework that identifies key aspects of the relationship between sleep and emotion. We propose that the connectivity between the emotional centers of the brain--the prefontal cortex and the amygdala--is in part dependent on the homeostatic sleep system such that connectivity between these brain networks is higher when rested and lower when sleep deprived. High connectivity drives more efficient executive functioning, while a disconnect leads to poor executive functioning capacity including emotional reactivity and impulsivity. The cognitive effects of the homeostatic system are couple with the mood regulation effects of the circadian system together dictating the degree to which one experiences emotional regulation or dysregulation. Further, the affective brain systems of individuals with clinical symptomology and/or pathology are suggested to be more vulnerable to homeostatic pressure and circadian lows or misalignment resulting in increased affective clinical symptomology. We review empirical evidence that supports this framework and explore the implications of this framework. Finally, we describe future directions for this type of work.

Why might poor sleep quality lead to depression? A role for emotion regulation

“…Surprisingly, we know little about the pathways by which poor sleep begets depression symptoms. This study was a first step in this direction, examining whether sleep problems might be associated with depression because of disturbance to emotion regulatory mechanisms (Gruber & Cassoff, 2014). …”

“…Experimentally, sleep-deprived participants have shown reduced functional connectivity in systems associated with cognitive control of emotional response (Yoo et al, 2007; but see Minkel et al, 2012 for additional discussion). Furthermore, disordered sleep impairs executive function systems, which have direct consequences for the ability to regulate emotions (for a review, see Gruber & Cassoff, 2014). …”

Individual differences in self-reported difficulty sleeping across the menstrual cycle

“…For example, headaches, back/joint pain, depression, and anxiety, to name a few, have all been shown to vary across the menstrual cycle (Mortola et al 1990;Kiesner and Pastore 2010) and are also associated with sleep difficulties. Past research has shown that both affective symptoms and pain conditions (e.g., headaches) are commonly associated with sleep problems (Finan et al 2013;Gruber and Cassoff 2014). Thus, to understand the association between the menstrual cycle and sleep problems, it is important to consider psychological and physical factors that may be associated with both menstrual cycle phase and disrupted sleep.…”

Affect, emotion dysregulation, and sleep quality among low-income women

“…The effects of sleep, specifically sleep deprivation, on emotions and moods has been well documented in the experimental literature, but despite acknowledgement in the literature of a bidirectional relationship between emotions and sleep, the mechanisms through which emotions impact sleep has received less attention (6). Maladaptive strategies for managing affect are associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, which in turn may increase the risk for poor sleep quality (6–8).…”

“…Maladaptive strategies for managing affect are associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, which in turn may increase the risk for poor sleep quality (6–8). In a recent time-lagged analysis using daily diary data, Kouros and El-Sheikh (2015) examined bidirectional associations between sleep and mood in a community sample of 142 elementary school children (9).…”