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I just came across this new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. It immediately struck me as incredibly relevant to new parents.

Although the researchers talk about people who deprive themselves of sleep due to the demands of "modern life," their findings can certainly ring true for both moms and dads who have no choice in how much sleep they get.

According to the study, "When we're sleep deprived, it's really as if the brain is reverting to more primitive behavior, regressing in terms of the control humans normally have over their emotions"

The emotional centers of the brain far exceeded the expectations of the researchers in regards to over reaction. In fact, one author stated,"They became more than 60 percent more reactive to negative emotional stimuli. That's a whopping increase—the emotional parts of the brain just seem to run amok."

Something to definitely remember when trying to hold a rational conversation with your partner when neither one of you has had the proper amount of sleep due to a new baby!