A forthcoming study set to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting reveals that maintaining a healthy sleep routine positively influences gratitude, resilience, and flourishing in adults. The findings indicate that participants experienced less subjective sleepiness and fewer mood disturbances when they went to bed earlier, extending their sleep by an average of 46 minutes nightly. Conversely, later bedtimes, which cut sleep by an average of 37 minutes, had detrimental effects. Notably, indices of flourishing, resilience, and gratitude saw marked improvements over the week when sleep was extended and notable declines with sleep restriction. Additionally, those who benefited from extended sleep documented significantly more entries in their gratitude journals than other study participants.
Principal investigator Michael Scullin, who holds a psychology doctorate and is an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, commented on the broader context. He noted that happiness levels have reportedly declined in the U.S. in recent years, also marked by widespread sleep issues. “Although it is well-established that sleep deprivation exacerbates mental health issues, experimental studies to verify if increasing sleep can enhance positive life aspects such as purpose, hope, and gratitude have been lacking,” Scullin explained.
The study involved 90 adults randomly assigned to different sleep schedules—either later or earlier bedtimes or their usual routine—over a typical workweek, with monitoring via actigraphy. The study assessed changes in transient and enduring feelings of flourishing, resilience, gratitude and practical expressions of gratitude. The adverse effects of insufficient sleep are extensively documented, leading entities like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society to recommend that adults ideally get at least seven hours of sleep per night consistently to support optimal health, productivity, and daytime alertness.
Scullin highlighted that the experimental increase in sleep duration positively impacted these crucial aspects of mental well-being, which are foundational to well-being and contribute to prosocial behaviour. “A subtle increase in sleep duration significantly boosted participants’ gratitude, resilience, and their overall sense of flourishing in life,” he concluded.
More information: Alexander Do et al, Gratitude, Flourishing, and Prosocial Behaviors Following Experimental Sleep Restriction and Sleep Extension, SLEEP. DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsae067.0184
Journal information: SLEEP Provided by American Academy of Sleep Medicine
