Sleep for Joy

Most people know that not getting enough sleep can lead to an irritable day. Now a study has shown a lack of sleep sucks the joy out of life.

 

“Even minor night-to-night fluctuations in sleep duration can have consequences in how people respond to events in their daily lives,” said psychologist Nancy Sin from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

 

She, along with her team, used survey data from nearly 2,000 adults between the ages of 33-84. For eight consecutive days participants were asked about their sleep duration, daily stresses, and experiences of positive and negative events, according to a Sept. 16 online article on ScienceAlert.

 

“When people experience something positive, such as getting a hug or spending time in nature, they typically feel happier that day,” Sin said. “But we found that when a person sleeps less than their usual amount, they don’t have as much of a boost in positive emotions from their positive events.”

 

On the other hand, more sleep makes good events seem even better and protects against daily stress. People with chronic health problems, such as chronic pain, also had better responses with more sleep.

 

The research was published online Sept. 7 in Health Psychology, a journal by the American Psychological Association.