He fell in love with what he thought was a beautiful garden fairy, but then it turned out to be just a really big dragonfly.

Triangle Bob can't see very well.

Anyway, a frog ate the dragonfly and Triangle Bob went to bed extremely depressed.

We all feel sad sometimes, but what happens when you go to bed feeling down?

Maybe you fought with a friend, fell in love with the dragonfly and it became someone's dinner, or just felt overwhelmed.

These negative feelings can be exacerbated when you're free of distractions and when you're tired.

Whatever the cause, sadness at bedtime can affect your mind, body, and even your long-term health.

So let's explore what happens when you go to sleep sad and how to break the cycle.

Hey there, welcome to Life Noggin.

When you go to bed feeling sad, it's much harder to fall asleep because of what's happening in your brain.

And I'm not talking about obsessing over whatever is making you feel down, at least not just that.

Emotions related to sadness, like anxiety and stress, are associated with increased levels of cortisol, which makes you feel awake and alert.

They're also associated with decreased levels of serotonin, a hormone that makes you feel focused and calm, and what produces melatonin, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle.

Studies on brain scans have also found that sadness is associated with increased activity in certain brain regions, such as the thalamus, which plays a role in keeping you awake and alert, and the amygdala, which is responsible for processing emotions and can make you feel anxious, fearful, or angry.

So instead of feeling calm and your body naturally winding down into a peaceful slumber, you're left wide awake, staring at your ceiling, worrying over whatever's making you sad.

Could be the dragonfly thing, who knows?

You can see how this can really mess up your sleep quality, which will make you feel even worse the next day.

In addition to affecting your cognitive abilities, like your memory and attention, studies have found that poor sleep, including staying up late or sleeping less than usual, leads to poor mental health.

That's because less sleep means less REM sleep, which is strongly linked with mood regulation.

This can turn into a dangerous cycle.

A poor night's sleep will make you feel tired and unfocused, resulting in another night of negative thoughts, stress, and anxiety, keeping you awake again.

As this cycle continues, and you continue to struggle to fall asleep, your risk for mental health disorders increases.

People who suffer from insomnia are five times more likely to develop depression and 20 times more likely to develop panic disorder, which is a type of anxiety disorder.

Chronic poor sleep can also have lasting effects on other parts of your body.

It could increase the likelihood of developing dementia, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers, such as breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancer.

Luckily, there are ways to break the cycle, such as limiting screen time, establishing a calming bedtime routine, avoiding certain foods or drinks before bed, and practicing mindfulness.

I told Triangle Bob to write down what he's grateful for right before bed.

It was so sweet.

He wrote all of his friends' names and then the word pizza bagel 15 times.

Anyway, if you continue to feel sad and struggle to sleep, you may want to seek out professional support to improve your emotional health, because going to sleep sad doesn't just affect your night.

It can have a lasting impact on your overall well-being.

So what strategies help calm your mind?

Are you somebody that goes to sleep sad?

If you're comfortable with it, talk about it in the comments, and let's be there for each other.