The link between poor sleep and aggression
Sleep plays an important role in mental health, among which emotion regulation and self-control. Disrupting your sleep could therefore contribute to heightened aggression. Maaike van Veen’s research shows that there is indeed a clear and consistent link between the two, especially for people who are psychologically vulnerable. The targeted treatment of sleep issues offers a new possibility to reduce anger, hostility, and aggressive behaviour, especially in psychiatry and more specifically forensic psychiatry.
The thesis describes several study methods to research the link between poor sleep and aggression. Two systematic reviews and meta-analyses were performed to summarize previous research. Previous research focused on the link between the quality and duration of sleep and various levels of aggression, like anger and hostility. Van Veen compiled a large number of observational and experimental studies, which together show a clear and consistent link between poor or shortened sleep and a high level of aggression. This link seems to be more apparent in people who are psychologically vulnerable.
In addition, she studied the link between quality of sleep, impulsivity, and aggression in a cohort of forensic psychiatric patients. Poor quality of sleep was related to a higher level of self-reported impulsivity and aggression. This was also true in longitudinally, in which it was found that poor quality of sleep in these patients was related to a higher level of aggression after one year. These links were not explained by the psychiatric diagnosis or general psychopathology.
Although this thesis does not directly study the causal link between sleep and aggression, the results do show that improving sleep habits could be a new and important strategy in reducing and preventing anger, hostility, and aggressive behaviour, especially in psychiatric and forensic psychiatric patients.
More information on the dissertation
About Maaike van Veen
Maaike van Veen is an external PhD student of the Faculty of Behavioural
and Social Sciences. She works as a psychiatrist at the Sleep and
Psychiatry Expertise Centre of the GGZ Drenthe. The PhD ceremony will
take place on 10 November 2022 at 4.15 p.m. in the auditorium of the Academy
Building in Groningen.
Last modified: | 02 November 2022 2.55 p.m. |
More news
-
15 December 2022
Groningen contributes to major research initiative into energy-efficient information technology
The Dutch science funding agency NWO recently awarded a large research project into new concepts for energy-efficient information technology of no less than ten million euros
-
05 December 2022
Frans J. Sijtsma new Director Agricola School
On the recommendation of the Board of the University of Groningen, Dr Frans J. Sijtsma has been appointed as academic director of the Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development with effect from 1 February 2023. This concerns a 0.5 FTE...
-
29 November 2022
Science Shops: bridging the gap between university and society
Science shops. What kinds of things can you buy there? A knowledge sandwich? A wisdom smoothie? Bacteria on demand? It is not clear to everyone what science shops have to offer. And yet, they play an important role for society, researchers, and...