Sleep Restriction and Its Effects on Mood

Sleep plays a fundamental role in the human body being able to function effectively, in particular it plays an essential role in mood regulation. Previous research on sleep and mood has found that there is a correlation between receiving an inadequate amount of sleep and having a negative mood. However, the current field has mostly looked at the relationship between disordered sleep and mood disorders as opposed to everyday sleep patterns and daily mood. The present study aims to look at how sleep restrictions which occur naturally (not caused by sleep disorders such as insomnia) effect daily mood. To conduct this study a sleep questionnaire was created to measure the amount and quality of sleep participants receive, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule was used to determine mood state. The data was analyzed in three groups: poor sleep (< 6.5 hours), adequate sleep (6.5-8 hours) and restful sleep (8 or more hours). A total of 60 participants completed the survey, however only 47 were included in the data analysis (11 excluded due to mood disorders, 2 excluded due to sleep disorders). The results revealed that sleep restriction does not have a significant effect on a person’s mood. Additionally, while not significant, the results suggested the quality of a person’s sleep may play a more impactful role in affecting mood than the amount of sleep.