We all know that sleep deprivation can make you grumpy, but now new research suggests that a bad night’s rest may also make you more selfish.

Data recently published in the journal PLOS Biology found a correlation between sleep deprivation and selfishness. The study, conducted by experts at the University of California, Berkeley, included data from three previous studies.

All studies found that people are more selfish after less or disrupted sleep.

The first study monitored the brains of 24 participants after one night of good sleep and one night of poor sleep. Participants were asked to fill out a helping behavior questionnaire that asked them to note what they would do in a difficult situation – such as if they saw an injured animal on the side of the road, or if they would give up their seat to an elderly person in the crowded buses.

The researchers also performed MRIs of their brains while they completed a social cognitive task that required them to look at “controlled information cards describing various adults in the United States” and identify the personalities profiled on the cards. In MRI exams, parts of the brain associated with empathy became less active after a night of sleepless nights.

Additionally, the study noted that participants overall “demonstrated a significant decrease in desire to help others while sleep deprived.

“The second study followed more than 100 people online for three to four nights, measuring their sleep duration and sleep quality using self-reported information. The survey asked participants how many times they woke up, how many hours they slept, what time they woke up, and more. As expected, the results showed that a bad night’s sleep led to a lower willingness to help others.

The third study examined the impact of daylight saving time on charitable giving by analyzing national giving data from 2001 to 2016. This study found that “the transition to daylight saving time is associated with a significant reduction in altruistic decisions to donate money (compared to the weeks before or after the transition.”)

Even with just one hour less sleep, as in the daylight saving time study, It also appears to lead to poorer mood in study subjects. Specifically, the study states, “Impaired positive mood impairs helping, in part by reducing empathic sensitivity to the needs or pain of others.”

Altruism is an important health benefit.

All of this is to say that if you don’t sleep well, you won’t be your best, most giving self – important values ​​that can improve your well-being.

Research shows that helping others can reduce stress in charitable individuals and can even lower inflammation levels in the body. Helping others not only makes you feel good, but it’s actually good for your body too.

If you want to sleep better, avoid screens before bed.

The blue light emitted by your TV or cell phone may be keeping you up at night—studies show that blue light suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone your body needs to fall asleep.

Besides that, you won’t let your brain power drop after a long day while you’re looking at your phone.

When we scroll through social media or turn on the TV, we are seeking the dopamine that is released when we see something exciting or interesting.

When your brain is engaged and active, it’s less likely to shut down.

To help yourself fall asleep, think about nature.

Nature is a natural stress reliever, which is why thinking about the outdoors can help you fall asleep.

You can try falling asleep with images of a sparkling lake and chirping birds in your mind, or, if that doesn’t work, you can spend some time on your porch, patio, or deck before bed and let the darkness and quiet Echo in your mind instead of light and noise.

It’s also important to have a good bedtime routine.

Routine is essential to your day, and it’s just as important to a good night’s sleep.

If you don’t have a relaxation routine that works for you, you should consider creating one.

People may want to consider establishing a routine of going to bed at the same time every night. This can help establish your circadian rhythm – your body’s sleep-wake cycle. Other soothing activities may include hot baths, skin care, reading, etc.

A good bedtime routine may look different for everyone, but if you have trouble sleeping, you should try incorporating some soothing activities at night.

Before you know it, you may be falling asleep faster and getting a more restful sleep – which is not only good for you, but also for those around you.