2023-11-24 09:41:50
The desired Black Friday sales have already reached stores and many people will take advantage of the discounts even for Christmas shopping. However, the Spanish Society of Neurology warns that shopping while sleep-deprived or late in the day has its risks and can turn us into ‘bad consumers’.
He Black Friday or Black Friday, a tradition of American origin that is celebrated on the last Friday in November, attracts more buyers every year and for this reason, neurologists warn of the possible risks of shopping at night or while sleepy.
On the occasion of Black Friday, thousands of brands, stores and companies offer their products with special discounts and sales. In recent years, it has become popular to make purchases online during the black friday especially during the night. The Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) alert to the risks hidden in these habits.
“Sleep is essential for optimal physical and mental functioning, but it can also be essential for our wallet, even more so at this time. And it is that, in Impulse control involves a brain area called the prefrontal cortex. and this area is very vulnerable to lack of sleep or poor quality sleep,” explains the Dr. Ana Fernández Arcos, Coordinator of the Wake and Sleep Disorders Study Group of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN).
Furthermore, according to experts at the SEN browsing the Internet and shopping at night also produces a state of hyperalertness and a spike in dopamine secretion which will make it difficult for us to fall asleep later, generating short dreams and a worse physical and mental shape.
The importance of sleep to control our impulses
The recommended quality and duration of sleep is that which allows us to be in optimal conditions to carry out daily activities. The SEN remembers that the recommended number of hours varies from one person to another and can even change throughout our lives.
However, the recommendation is at least 7 hours of sleep for healthy adults. Sleeping fewer hours or with poorer quality alters some brain functions such as attention, memory, emotional regulation and sensory perception.
“After a night without sleep, your diet, taking medication, work performance or even driving may be altered,” emphasizes the Dr. Celia García Malo, Member of the Wake and Sleep Disorders Study Group of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN).
According to the expert, if a person has a lack of sleep, for example, due to having a night job, they will have more difficulties maintaining self-control and therefore control their impulses less well, due to the alteration in the functioning of the prefrontal cortex .
Looking at our cell phone in the middle of the night can make it difficult for us to fall asleep. EFE/ Miguel Gutiérrez
Buying at night, yes or no?
The expansion of online commerce and shopping at night has become a common activity for many people because it is the time of day with the most free time to carry out these types of tasks.
However, Neurologists explain that drowsiness and fatigue make us make worse decisions and make purchases that would otherwise be better selected, cheaper or that we would even postpone to a more appropriate time or of greater need.
“For this reason, the risk of buying unnecessary things or things that are not suitable for our pocket is greater if the purchase is made at night”, says Dr. Ana Fernández Arcos.
Dr. Celia García Malo explains that the experience of shopping at dusk or at night also has other repercussions, since it should be a time for relaxation and shopping produces a state of hyperalertness that makes it difficult for us to sleep later.
Therefore, when our mind is tired, our willpower is diminished and our brain does not reflect everything what it should about the cost implications of purchases.
Neurologists point out, therefore, that it is more likely to spend more money when shopping sleep deprived.
“We recommend avoid shopping when we are sleep deprivedor, because our brain becomes ‘more impulsive’ and ‘less consistent’ and remember that shopping at night also affects our sleep and normal rest,” concludes Dr. Ana Fernández Arcos.
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