According to a new study published in the October 2007 journal Current Biology, people suffering from acute or chronic insomnia may be more likely to overreact to good and bad experiences. Researchers at the University of CA, Berkeley suggest sleep deprivation, whether from insomnia or related sleep disorders, causes people to experience intense episodes of aggression, distraction, irritation and irrational behavior.

In this study, researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging or fMRI to measure brain activity by capturing images of changes occuring in blood flow among neural centers of the brain of sleep deprived study participants. The results showed participants that were sleep deprived for 35 hours during the study reacted strongly to negative images, much more so than participants allowed to sleep normally during the study.

Reactions to negative stimuli such as an image of a shark increased negative activity in the brains of participants by as much as 60 percent or more. Parts of the brain most responsive to negative images following sleep deprivation included the prefrontal lobe, which is a part of the brain normally responsible for keeping negative emotions in check.

This study is one of many that demonstrate how important it is to seek proper treatment for insomnia as soon as possible. Not sure whether you should seek treatment for insomnia or other chronic sleep problems? Use the 10-Step Symptom Checker to decide whether the time is right to see your doctor.

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of insomnia is the first step to take in your journey toward recovery. If you or someone you love suffers from acute or chronic sleep deprivation, find out what your personal insomnia triggers may be, so you can seek the right treatment and support as soon as possible. According to the National Institutes of Health, roughly 1 in 6 people suffer from insomnia or a related sleep disorder. Fortunately, for those that do have insomnia, help and treatment is readily available.

More Related Resources

• Are You Affected By Insomnia?
• Fast Facts About Insomnia
• What Are Insomnia Risk Factors?
• What Are Proper Treatments For Insomnia?
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