Sleep impacts feelings of recognition, fulfillment and capacity for resilience.
Sleep has a direct impact on mental health. You only have to look at our mood when we lack sleep to understand it. Also, all specialists agree that you need to get enough sleep per night – at least 7 or 8 hours when you are an adult -, that you need to go to bed early, have a regular sleep schedule, and not overdo it. lie in… Important advice that we have in mind but which, in the reality of daily life, is not always easy to follow. The conclusions of an American study presented on June 5 at the SLEEP 2024 annual conference (“sleep” meaning “sleep” in English) could help all those who have sleep disorders to feel much better in their lives by carrying out a very small change in their sleeping habits.
“Poll data indicates that happiness has declined in the United States in recent years and that during the same period, sleep problems have become more widespread” explained lead researcher Michael Scullin, who holds a doctorate in psychology at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. “While it is known that sleep loss worsens mental health symptoms, no experimental studies have been conducted to test whether increased sleep improves positive aspects of life such as feelings of determination, hope and gratitude.” His study involved 90 adults who were randomly assigned to late, early, or normal bedtimes during a single work week. Upon arrival, the researchers noticed changes in their well-being, especially in feelings of fulfillment, resilience and gratitude. Concretely “the subtle increase in sleep increased these positive feelings in their lives”said Michael Scullin.
Subtle ? Indeed, it was enough for the volunteers to go to bed a little earlier for them to feel in a better mood. Conversely, those who went to bed later while getting up at the same time (they slept on average 37 minutes less) saw a “considerable deterioration” of their well-being, report the authors. Concretely, their results show that you need to extend your sleep by an average of 46 minutes to be more positive and happy on a daily basis. For example, if you usually go to bed at 11 p.m., try from now on to be in bed by 10:15 p.m. maximum. Do this for a week and see the results. You should get a taste for it…