Study says: Sleepless nights can quickly mess up emotions

Groggy? Grumpy? Depressed? Just a few nights of poor sleep can take a big toll on your mental health, a new study confirms.

"Many of us think that we can pay our sleep debt on weekends and be more productive on weekdays," said lead author Soomi Lee, an assistant professor in the School of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida.

"However, results from this study show that having just one night of sleep loss can significantly impair your daily functioning," Lee said in a university news release.

The researchers assessed the effects of getting less six hours of sleep a night, which experts say is the minimum that average adults require for optimal health.

The study included nearly 2,000 middle-aged U.S. adults who were relatively healthy and well-educated. They recorded their mental and physical health in a diary for eight straight days.

About four in ten -- 42% -- had at least one night of sleep loss, sleeping 1.5 fewer hours than their typical amount.

Sleep loss resulted in negative emotions such as anger, nervousness, loneliness, irritability and frustration. Physical symptoms surfaced, too, including upper respiratory issues, aches and gastrointestinal problems.