Getting enough sleep is known to be essential for good health, but new research from Baylor University shows just how powerful even small increases in sleep can be for our mental well-being.
According to the study, adding as little as 46 extra minutes of sleep per night can lead to positive changes in how we feel and act, including increased feelings of gratitude, resilience, and an overall sense of life satisfaction.
The research also found that getting better sleep promotes prosocial behaviors, which means people are more likely to be helpful and positive toward others.
The study was led by Alexander Do for his Honors thesis, under the guidance of Dr. Michael K. Scullin, a psychology and neuroscience professor at Baylor and director of the Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Lab, as well as Dr. Sarah Schnitker, a psychology professor who directs Baylor’s Science of Virtues Lab.
Together, they aimed to investigate how sleep affects positive psychological traits, such as gratitude and resilience, and whether simply getting more sleep could enhance these qualities.
For a long time, most sleep studies have focused on how lack of sleep harms us, impacting everything from mood to physical health.
However, this study took a different approach by exploring the potential benefits of additional sleep through the lens of positive psychology, a field that focuses on strengths and well-being rather than just reducing negative symptoms.
While gratitude and resilience are often thought of as personality traits, this research looked at whether more sleep itself could actually increase these positive feelings.
To test this, the researchers observed 90 young adults over a single workweek. Participants were divided into groups that followed late bedtimes, early bedtimes, or normal sleep routines.
Their sleep patterns were tracked with activity monitors, and they were asked to record their levels of gratitude, resilience, and overall sense of flourishing—a term used in psychology to describe a state of well-being and purpose in life.
They were also asked to keep journals to see if sleep changes would affect their expressions of gratitude.
The results were clear: those who got extra sleep felt more resilient, grateful, and had a stronger sense of purpose. In other words, an additional 46 minutes of sleep per night made a big difference in how they felt.
On the other hand, participants who got 37 fewer minutes of sleep each night felt worse in these areas. Even this small reduction in sleep time led to lower mood, less resilience, and fewer feelings of gratitude.
Interestingly, the improvements in gratitude, resilience, and life satisfaction weren’t entirely explained by mood changes. This suggests that while sleep positively influences mood, its impact on well-being goes even deeper.
According to Do, having more sleep can help people see life with more hope and purpose, which in turn strengthens feelings of gratitude and helps them cope better with challenges.
Better sleep doesn’t just benefit individuals but can also improve society as a whole. The study found that well-rested individuals were more likely to act in positive, prosocial ways, such as helping others or engaging in charitable activities.
Scullin noted that when people feel grateful and are “flourishing,” they’re more inclined to be generous and active in their communities.
Another survey involving over 2,800 adults found similar results: people who regularly slept between 7 to 9 hours were more likely to donate to charity, showing that good sleep might help promote kindness and generosity.
This research highlights just how important sleep is not only for feeling alert and rested but for boosting our sense of purpose, helping us become more resilient, and making us more compassionate and supportive toward others.
These findings could inspire future research on sleep as a way to foster well-being on a broader scale, potentially shaping how we think about mental health, community engagement, and the benefits of even small improvements in our daily habits.
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The research findings can be found in The Journal of Positive Psychology.
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