The mental health function of sleep
Context
Despite the growing global burden of mental ill-health, the biological mechanisms that contribute to the development, persistence and recovery from psychiatric conditions remain poorly understood. Our research addresses this challenge by focusing on sleep disturbance, a common feature across many mental health conditions. Combining experimental psychology, advanced neuroimaging and intervention-focused approaches, we investigate the neurocognitive mechanisms linking sleep and mental health in adults and young people.
Our work aims to identify new ways of understanding, preventing and treating mental health problems by targeting sleep and the processes it supports.
The research
One of our main research programmes investigates how sleep disturbance contributes to difficulties regulating thoughts and emotions. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we have shown that sleep deprivation disrupts brain networks that help prevent intrusive thoughts.
Using sleep electroencephalography (EEG), we have discovered a mechanism through which the sleeping brain selectively strengthens important memories, and how disruption of this process could contribute to maladaptive thought patterns. We have also investigated how smartphone and social media use affects sleep and mental health in young people. This work has shown that taking a break from social media can increase sleep duration and reduce daytime sleepiness, depressive symptoms and perceived stress.
Featured publications
- Theta oscillations tag episodic memories for sleep-dependent consolidation.
- Memory control deficits in the sleep-deprived human brain.
- Innovations in Practice: A pilot randomised trial on smartphone and social media abstinence – effects on sleep quality and psychological wellbeing in adolescents.
Funding
- Medical Research Council
- Economic and Social Research Council
- Arts and Humanities Research Council
- European Research Council
- Huo Family Foundation
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