Associations Between Intraindividual Variability in Sleep and Daily Positive Affect

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sleep Science
• Affective Science

Background:

• Intraindividual variability in positive affect (PA) and sleep are linked to negative outcomes.
• Understanding the relationship between sleep patterns and emotional well-being is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the associations between variability in multiple sleep dimensions and positive affect.
• Investigate how sleep quality and duration variability influence daily PA levels.

Main Methods:

• Online surveys collected daily for 7 days from community adults (N=911) and university students (N=322).
• Assessed variability in sleep quality, duration, wake after sleep onset, bedtime, and rise-time.
• Regression analyses used to determine associations with mean and variability in PA.

Main Results:

• Greater variability in sleep quality was associated with increased PA fluctuations and higher average PA across both samples.
• More variable sleep duration in the community sample correlated with lower and more variable PA.
• Findings highlight the complex interplay between sleep irregularity and emotional states.

Conclusions:

• Fluctuations in sleep quality and duration are significantly linked to daily positive affect outcomes.
• Irregular sleep patterns may influence emotional well-being, a growing concern in modern society.
• These findings underscore the importance of consistent sleep for maintaining positive affect.