Life can be hard and worrisome under normal circumstances thus leading many people to toss and turn at night. Combine that with a global pandemic and political unrest (what happened to murder hornets?) and sleep can seem downright impossible at times.

Scientists have shown repeatedly that sleep is a significant part of our daily routines and is essential for many things including health, learning, and mood. Considering that the average person spends approximately a third of their lives sleeping, it stands to reason that sleep is as essential to living as eating and drinking.

While the process of sleeping is complex and science does not yet fully understand it, research has shown that it is essential in creating new memories and removing toxins in one’s brain. In addition, sleep affects almost every tissue in the body including the heart, and lungs. Chronic sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and obesity.

According to new research, scientists have also found that sleep, resilience, and a positive attitude are interconnected. Quality sleep has been linked to being more positive and able to better handle stressful situations. It also changes how we react to future stress. When we lack consistent, quality sleep, we can feel down or depressed and less positive about good things.

In a paper published in Health Psychology, researcher Dr. Nancy Sin and her team showed that inadequate sleep interrupted our ability to process information and created stronger responses to stressful situations. In their study, the researchers interviewed almost 2,00 adults in the United States. For a period of eight days, the people in the study received phone calls asking how much they slept the previous night, whether they experienced any positive or negative events during the day, and their overall feelings of being positive or negative. The study showed that there was a link between sleep the night before and how subjects responded to events the following day. It showed that a good night’s sleep had a positive affect on mood. It also showed that getting inadequate sleep was a strong predictor in a decreased positive response to daily stressors as well a dampened response to positive events. People with chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure showed an even stronger connection to quality sleep and positive mood. Researchers concluded that how we react to daily stressors and positive events vary based upon how long we sleep and that losing sleep is strongly connected to negativity when faced with stressful situations and a decrease in positive feelings when good things happened.

Sleep has a significant impact upon our lives in many ways. Research has shown that sleep deprivation plays a role in developing chronic disease. It also affects our emotions, both positive and negative. Getting adequate, quality sleep on a regular basis may reduce inflammation, help us deal with daily stressors, and may enhance our overall happiness. In addition, sleep can also play a large role in our relationships. When we are sleep deprived we feel irritable, may avoid meaningful conversations, and sleep deprivation may prevent us from feeling close to others. All of which harm our relationships.

There is good news, however. By making a few simple adjustments, most people can improve the duration and quality of their sleep. Things such as exercising of a regular basis, getting on a regular sleep schedule, avoiding electronics before bedtime, and creating a relaxing sleep environment can all make a significant difference. These simple changes will not only positively affect our regular sleep patterns but also our ability to experience joy, deal with stress, and create positive relationships. The bottom line is that a good night’s sleep helps us to live happier, more productive lives.