How deep sleep completely rewires your brain and eliminates anxiety

If you’re losing sleep over something that’s bothering you, it’s because your brain’s wired that way. Scientists have discovered that there’s a link between high levels of anxiety and lack of sleep.

Thankfully, there’s a way to rewire your brain to eliminate anxiety — you just need to sleep deeply on it, according to a 2019 study in the journal Nature Human Behavior.

Sleep and anxiety

Over 40 million American adults have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Those numbers are skyrocketing among teens and children, as well, and as many as one in three young people between 13 and 18 will experience an anxiety disorder. Researchers say the answer to why this might be happening is simpler than you might think: lack of sleep.

The November 2019 study from the University of California Berkeley had three parts. First, it took sleep data from 30 participants and concluded that those who got more deep sleep at night showed lower levels of anxiety the next day.

The next portion of the study surveyed 280 respondents over four days and found that, regardless of their sleep habits, the quality and length of their sleep the night before was a huge indicator of much anxiety they felt the next day.

Finally, the original 18 study participants were asked to watch a series of disturbing videos after a full night’s sleep and then after a sleepless night. Using brain scans, the researchers found that after a night of insomnia, the brain’s medial prefrontal cortex shuts down and areas like the amygdala light up. The medial prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making, logic and reason, and the amygdala is responsible for fear.

In a press release, the study’s senior author, Matthew Walker, vividly described this phenomenon as one’s brain being “too heavy on the emotional accelerator pedal, without enough brake.”

What is deep sleep?

While you might think that a nap is good enough to stave off anxiety, that’s just not the case. This study in particular specified that a full night of deep sleep is necessary to restore the brain’s neural pathways and decrease anxious thoughts. But what qualifies as deep sleep?

There are two kinds of sleep: rapid-eye-movement, or REM, sleep and non-REM sleep. You may have heard that REM sleep is the kind of deep sleep you need to recharge, but that’s not exactly the case. Ideally, your non-REM slow-wave sleep reduces your anxiety the most. This occurs in non-REM stages of your sleep, when your brain waves decelerate and your heart rate is at the lowest point possible.

While your body might be resting during this period, your brain is very active, firing off neurons and neurotransmitters at a rapid rate. This is when you’re rewiring your brain. In these restorative hours, your brain can create thousands of new neural pathways and nurture cell growth to improve your immune system, memory, and, most importantly, lower your anxiety level.

Berkeley’s tips for a good night’s sleep

Getting a solid eight hours filled with anxiety-reducing non-REM sleep can be a challenge, but researchers at Berkeley have tips on how to achieve the perfect night’s sleep.

First, go to bed and wake up each day at the exact same time. Even if you end up going to bed late or you get a terrible night’s sleep, keeping to your sleep schedule will readjust your circadian rhythms. This helps your body get into REM and non-REM rhythms faster when you go to sleep.

Next, keep your screen time to a minimum about an hour before bed. Again, this has to do with your circadian rhythms, and blasting a bright light in your face just as you’re about to sleep isn’t exactly the way to ensure arestful night.

The last tip is to keep your bedroom cool — 65 degrees is recommended, but you can go up to 70 if that’s too chilly. You’ll fall asleep quicker, your quality of sleep will be exponentially greater, and some even say that it aids your metabolism.

For insomniacs, if you’re lying in bed and just can’t get to sleep, don’t get up and hop on your laptop to answer work emails. Instead, get out of bed but do something calming until you start to feel sleepy again. This doesn’t include TV, either, as you should be staying away from electronics when you’re supposed to be sleeping.