Why healthy sleep is important for our social relationships
A restful sleep is fundamental to a healthy and fulfilling life. Not only our physical and mental well-being depends on adequate sleep, but also our ability to maintain social relationships and help other people. New research results from the UC Berkeley show that lack of sleep not only affects our individual health, but also weakens our social conscience and thus has an impact on society as a whole.
Lack of sleep has already been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure and increased mortality rates. Current evidence now shows that lack of sleep also affects our basic social attitudes and causes us to withdraw our willingness to help others.
A study has shown that willingness to act charitable fell by 10% in the week following the switch to daylight saving time, in which people lose an hour of sleep. No such decline was observed in states that do not change their clocks or return to standard time. This result makes it clear that even a small interruption in sleep has an impact on our social behavior.
The study, conducted by researchers Eti Ben Simon and Matthew Walker from the UC Berkeley joins a growing body of research showing that insufficient sleep not only harms individuals' mental and physical health, but also affects the bonds between people and even influences the altruistic feelings of an entire nation.
"We have discovered over the last 20 years a very close connection between our sleep and our mental health. In fact, we have not been able to identify a single major mental disorder in which sleep is normal," says Walker. "But this new work shows that sleep deprivation not only affects an individual's health, but also corrodes social interactions between people and ultimately the very fabric of human society itself. How we function as a social species - and we are a social species - appears stark depending on how much sleep we get."
It is becoming increasingly clear that the effects of lack of sleep are not only limited to the individual, but also to those around us. Ben Simon says: "Not getting enough sleep not only harms your own well-being, but also the well-being of your entire social circle, including strangers."
In their study, the researchers examined how lack of sleep affects the willingness to provide help. An fMRI study examined the brain activity of 24 healthy subjects after a night of eight hours of sleep and after a sleepless night. They found that areas of the brain responsible for empathy and understanding other people's needs were less active after a sleepless night. This affects our ability to empathize with other people and understand their needs.
In another study, researchers followed over 100 people online over several nights. They measured the quality of their sleep and then rated their willingness to help others. They found that poorer sleep quality from one night to the next predicted a significant decline in willingness to provide help the following day. People who had had poor sleep the previous night were less likely to help others the next day.
Another part of the study involved evaluating a database of 3 million donations in the US between 2001 and 2016. Did the number of donations change after the change to daylight saving time and the possible loss of an hour of sleep? A decrease of 10% was noted. This decline in willingness to help was not observed in regions of the country where the clocks were not changed.
The research results of the UC Berkeley show that even a small lack of sleep, such as losing an hour of sleep, has a significant impact on our generosity and our motivation to help others. Lack of sleep makes us less empathetic, less generous and socially withdrawn.
Previous studies have shown that lack of sleep causes people to withdraw socially and feel lonelier. When these sleep-deprived people then interact with other people, they spread their loneliness to them almost like a virus.
Lack of sleep not only has individual effects, but also influences the social dynamics of a society. We become less empathetic, less generous and more socially isolated. This has far-reaching consequences for our coexistence as a social species.
It is time to recognize the value of adequate sleep in our society. Instead of judging people for getting enough sleep, we should encourage sleep and view it as the foundation for strong social bonds. Sleep is an essential part of prosocial, empathetic, kind and generous behavior. Especially in these times when our society is often divided, healthy sleep is of great importance in order to bring out the best in us and help each other.
Sleep is essential for all aspects of our physical, mental and emotional well-being. When sleep is underestimated in our society, not only do doctors, nurses and students suffer from sleep deprivation, but our interpersonal interactions also become less friendly and empathetic.
In developed countries, more than half of people report not getting enough sleep during the work week. It's time to discard the idea that sleep is unnecessary or a waste of time and get the sleep we need without shame. It is the best form of kindness we can show ourselves and the people around us.
Sleep is a fundamental need and a crucial factor for our well-being and social relationships. By promoting sleep and consciously taking time for sufficient rest, we can strengthen social bonds and have a positive influence on coexistence in our society.
Those: Berkeley Research
