Beyond tiredness and reduced concentration, poor sleep in summer can influence how we think, regulate our emotions, and respond to everyday situations.
Many people may think that getting less sleep in summer is simply a natural consequence of staying up late, holidays, and high temperatures. However, its effects may be deeper than they seem.
Sleep disturbances do not only affect energy levels and concentration; they also impact the way people think, manage their emotions, and respond to everyday situations, potentially making them more impulsive, emotional, or sensitive than usual.
Amid changing summer lifestyles and declining sleep quality, an important question emerges: To what extent can sleep deprivation affect our personality and behaviour?
Clinical psychologist Banin Britaa explains that sleep is not merely a period of rest; rather, it is one of the fundamental pillars of mental and physical health, as it is closely linked to brain function, emotional regulation, and behaviour. She stresses that getting good-quality sleep directly affects a person’s ability to feel comfortable and balanced in their relationship with themselves and with others.
She points out that lack of sleep does not radically or permanently change a person’s personality, but it clearly affects the way the brain functions and the way they respond to everyday situations. She notes that what matters is not only the number of hours of sleep, but also sleep quality, as a person may sleep for long hours without getting restful sleep that restores the body and brain’s energy.
The real effects of sleep deprivation appear when the brain begins to lose its ability to concentrate and regulate emotions. Britaa adds that lack of sleep or poor sleep quality weakens focus and attention, making a person more likely to misunderstand situations and interpret them in a negative or inaccurate way.
It may also be accompanied by headaches, mental exhaustion, reduced productivity, and difficulty completing even simple tasks, increasing feelings of stress and irritability. It may also lead some people to resort to unhealthy behaviours to cope with this exhaustion.
She notes that this problem becomes more common during summer due to rising temperatures, changes in daily routines, and staying up later. However, the issue is not staying up late itself, but rather the decline in sleep quality, because deep and restful sleep is what gives the brain and body a real opportunity to recover their energy and maintain psychological and behavioural balance.
Summer insomnia is not linked to a single factor; rather, it results from a combination of environmental and behavioural factors that affect sleep quality. The most prominent include:
During summer, maintaining a consistent sleep routine can be challenging, but prioritizing sleep is just as important as paying attention to nutrition or physical activity. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain regular sleep times as much as possible, avoid using screens before bedtime, reduce caffeine intake in the evening, and ensure a cool and quiet sleeping environment.
Ultimately, while we may not be able to control the summer heat or the length of daylight, we can give our bodies and brains the opportunity to restore their balance through good sleep, because sleep is not a luxury, but a foundation for mental health, clarity of mind, and quality of life.
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