Getting up and going to bed at the same time is better for your mood, and sleep irregularities are making you grumpy. This is the conclusion from a recent study by American researchers.

Irregular sleep causes bad mood and depression

Circadian clock rules a lot of processes in our lives and when we don’t get to bed in regular times, things in our bodies are getting out of sync.

When one goes to bed at different times for weeks, the effect on the body is similar to a person not getting enough sleep or staying up too late on most nights. People who don’t rest fully for regular hours experience mood swings and become more prone to depression.

Even when the schedule is disturbed for just one day people experience jetlag feelings. When it keeps happening, the stress on the person increases.

A recent study by the University of Michigan analysed data of over 2 thousand of young medical doctors who just started their careers. In the first year of residency they often work irregular hours in a hospital and are being called out at various times of the day. Their schedules change frequently, which leads to disturbed night rest patterns.

The hours of rest were analysed via smart watches and signs of depression measured via quarterly questionnaires.

The young doctors whose snooze schedules were the most irregular were more prone to feel moody and scored higher on depression symptoms.

The findings confirm previous data on the link between poor night rest and depression. The wearable technology gives a more reliable picture of how sleep patterns are linked to moods and signs of depression.

The authors point out that sleep consistency is an underrated factor in wellness and personal satisfaction. In a similar way, parents of young children may be affected by sleep irregularities at large.

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