· Psychology · 2 min read
The Missing Link: Why Mood Tracking is Your Best Sleep Tool
Is your bad mood causing bad sleep, or is it the other way around? Learn about the 'Mind After Midnight' and the bidirectional link between mood and rest.
Most people track sleep to fix their bodies. But sleep tracking is actually the best way to fix your mind.
Research from Harvard Medical School and the University of Pennsylvania has shown that sleep and mood share a “bidirectional relationship.” This means they are constantly feeding into each other in a loop.
The Vicious Cycle
When you are sleep-deprived, your amygdala (the emotional center of your brain) becomes 60% more reactive. You don’t just feel “tired”—you feel stressed, angry, and sad. This heightened emotional state then makes it harder to fall asleep the next night, creating a downward spiral.
The “Mind After Midnight”
There is a growing theory among neuroscientists called “The Mind After Midnight.” It suggests that after our usual bedtime, the human brain is biologically prone to negative thinking and poor impulse control.
By tracking your mood every morning in SleepGrids, you can start to see these patterns:
- “I feel anxious every Wednesday morning… wait, I sleep 2 hours less on Tuesday nights.”
- “My mood is always ‘Radiant’ when I exercise after work, regardless of sleep hours.”
See the Connection
SleepGrids was designed with a simple “Mood Tap” for a reason. We want you to see the color of your mood right next to the hours of your sleep. Often, you’ll discover that a small habit—like a 15-minute walk—can protect your mood even when your sleep is interrupted.
Stop ignoring your mind. Start seeing how your rest impacts your happiness.
