A new study led by researchers at the University of Arizona shows that there’s a link between interrupted sleep and suicide or homicide.
Dr. Michael Grandner is the director of the sleep and health research program. He says there are certain brain functions that are at their lowest points in the middle of the night.
"That two, three, four in the morning they are not making good decisions. They can be the most well-adjusted person during the day, they could be getting plenty of sleep at night but not matter how much sleep they’re getting, no matter how good they are in the day, that window of time at night is a vulnerable time," said Grandner.
And there’s this perfect storm, he says, of sleep and circadian factors that are contributing to emotional and cognitive dysregulation during the night. Grandner hopes to share these findings with the mental health and scientific community.
The study was prompted by evidence that showed suicide risk spikes in the middle of the night.
