North Andover

This research aims to explore whether extending sleep through a mid-day nap can help improve emotion regulation in people who have recently experienced a mild traumatic brain injury mTBI, commonly known as a concussion. The study focuses on understanding if napping can reduce the mental effort needed to control emotions after such an injury, which often causes long-lasting symptoms like sleep problems and emotional difficulties. Participants will take part in two different sessions one week apart. In one session, they will have the opportunity to nap for 1.5 hours in a quiet, dark room while their sleep is monitored using special equipment. In the other session, they will spend 1.5 hours doing quiet activities like puzzles without napping. The order of these sessions will be balanced between men and women. Researchers will measure brain activity and eye responses during a task where participants regulate their emotions, as well as gather data on their sleep patterns using wearable devices and sleep diaries. During the study, participants will wear devices to monitor their sleep before and after the sessions and complete questionnaires about their sleep habits, mood, and concussion symptoms. The researchers will assess changes in emotion regulation through self-reports, behavioral tests, and physiological measures like pupil response and brain signals. The study will last about nine days, and the goal is to better understand how napping might serve as an easy and low-risk way to support emotional recovery after a concussion.