Happiness, gratitude and resistance in the face of adversity, marked by how much we sleep

Getting enough sleep has a greater influence than we think on how we feel, even in previously unsuspected ways. This is revealed by a new study.

The study was carried out by Alexander Do, Sarah Schnitker and Michael Scullin, all three from Baylor University in the United States.

The study was done on 90 adult volunteers. Each of them was randomly assigned to one of three groups. During a work week, the first group went to bed later and slept less, the second went to bed earlier and slept more, and the third did neither.

Each subject’s mood was tracked, including their level of happiness, their propensity to show gratitude to people who helped them, and their level of resilience in the face of adversity.

When analyzing all the data, the research team found that sleeping an average of 46 minutes more per night caused the study subjects to significantly increase their level of happiness, their propensity to be grateful towards people who helped them, and their degree of of resistance in the face of adversity. Sleeping an average of 37 minutes less per night had the opposite effect, with a similar intensity.

As the authors of the study note, it is striking that in the United States, population surveys indicate that in recent years people’s level of happiness has decreased, while other surveys indicate that, in the same period, the The time people spend sleeping has been reduced. Is the first a consequence of the second? Judging by the results of the new study, probably yes.

In other nations, the same relationship between level of happiness and time spent sleeping can be expected.

A few dozen minutes of more or less restful sleep can make a notable difference in our level of happiness, in our emotional strength to face adversity and in how grateful we are to those who help us. (Photo: Amazings/NCYT)

The new study was presented at the SLEEP 2024 conference, held in the American city of Houston. This annual conference is organized jointly by the AASM (American Academy of Sleep Medicine) and the SRS (Sleep Research Society).

The study has also been published in the academic journal Sleep, with the title “Gratitude, Flourishing, and Prosocial Behaviors Following Experimental Sleep Restriction and Sleep Extension.” (Fountain: NCYT by Amazings)