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Dynamic Interactions Between Daily Emotional Processing and Sleep Quality in Emerging Adults
Alexander Ariu1, Andrea H Meyer2,3, Simone Munsch2,4
1Family and Development Research Center, Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Journal of Sleep Research
|July 9, 2026
Summary
Daily emotional fluctuations significantly impact sleep quality in emerging adults. Negative emotions like anger and anxiety worsen sleep, while happiness improves it, highlighting emotional well-being
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sleep Science
- Mental Health
Background:
- Poor sleep quality is linked to emotional regulation difficulties and mental health issues in emerging adults.
- Previous research has not fully explored the impact of daily fluctuations in emotions on sleep quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between daily and weekly emotional processes (affect, stress, emotion regulation) and sleep quality in emerging adults.
- To examine within-person and between-person associations between emotional states and subsequent sleep quality.
Main Methods:
- Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) over seven days using smartphone-based surveys (four per day).
- Data collected from 166 emerging adults (mean age 20.36 years, 80.1% female).
- Linear mixed-effects models analyzed within-person and between-person effects.
Main Results:
- Within-person: Higher daily anger, anxiety, sadness, and stress predicted lower sleep quality; higher daily happiness predicted better sleep quality.
- Between-person: Higher weekly negative emotions and rumination predicted lower sleep quality; higher weekly happiness predicted better sleep quality.
Conclusions:
- Both daily and weekly emotional processes are significantly associated with sleep quality in emerging adults.
- Negative emotions and rumination act as vulnerability factors for poor sleep, while happiness is a protective factor.
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