Intriguing new research suggests a positive sleep role for a meaningful life
Despite its importance for health and well-being, many American adults find it difficult to consistently get enough sleep. Approximately 50 million to 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep disturbances are particularly common in older adults and involve a variety of problems including difficulties falling or staying asleep, interrupted breathing and restless leg syndrome. A person’s racial background can influence his or her likelihood of developing a sleep disorder, with a greater number of black Americans reporting sleep disturbances compared to white Americans.
Beyond its effects on health, not getting enough sleep can lead to car accidents, medical errors or other mistakes on the job. To encourage better sleep, the medical community encourages adults to engage in good “sleep hygiene” such as limiting or avoiding caffeine and nicotine, avoiding naps during the day, turning off electronics an hour before bed, exercising and practicing relaxation before bedtime. It is also well-known that mental health is closely linked to sleep; insomnia is more common in people suffering from depression or anxiety.
A recent study now raises the possibility that sleep could be affected by the degree to which someone feels like his or her life is purposeful or meaningful. Arlener Turner, Christine Smith and Jason Ong of the Northwestern University School of Medicine found that people who reported having a greater sense of purpose in life also reported getting better sleep—even when taking into consideration age, gender, race and level of education.
To establish this link, the researchers recruited a sample of 825 older Americans to participate in a study where they reported on their sense of purpose in life along with the quality of their sleep. The majority of these participants were female (77 percent), and slightly more than half were African-American (54 percent). The participants were, on average, 79 years old. A sense of purpose in life was measured using a survey where participants rated how much they agreed with each of 10 statements, such as “Some people wander aimlessly through life, but I am not one of them.” The results showed that participants who reported having a greater sense of purpose in life also reported higher quality sleep on a regular basis, as well as fewer symptoms of sleep disorders. Importantly, the researchers found that their findings held true for both the white Americans and black Americans who participated in the study.
Developing a sense of purpose in life may simultaneously convey other benefits in addition to better sleep. Research has linked experiencing purpose in life to a variety of other positive outcomes including better brain functioning, reduced risk of heart attack and even a higher income. People with a greater sense of purpose in their life would surely be better off while also serving as a positive example in the lives of those they know.
Daisy Grewal
Daisy Grewal holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a doctorate in social psychology from Yale University. She currently works at Stanford University as an applied researcher.