Getting enough sleep is crucial for our overall health and well-being, and new research from the University of South Carolina, CQUniversity Australia, and the University of Surrey highlights the importance of adequate rest in achieving our goals and sticking to our resolutions.
The study, published in the Journal of Sleep Research, found that sleepiness can increase our reliance on habits, whether they are good or bad. Lead researcher Amanda Rebar explains, “When our ability to control what we do is depleted by sleepiness, we tend to act more on ‘autopilot,’ with minimal forethought. Our study shows this definitively: people were more likely to act habitually when they reported feeling sleepy. While this can result in higher levels of good habits, it can also lead individuals to fall back on bad habits.”
The research followed over 100 individuals over the course of a week, comparing sleepiness levels and habits both between and within participants. The findings showed that when people were sleepier than usual, they were more likely to engage in habitual behaviors, regardless of whether those habits were positive or negative.
Daytime sleepiness affects nearly a quarter of Americans, impacting alertness and increasing the likelihood of falling asleep during waking hours. This state can diminish our ability to consciously regulate our behaviors and make intentional choices. Benjamin Gardner, co-author of the study, emphasizes that feeling drowsy can put us at risk of reverting to old, unwanted habits, which can undermine our efforts to make positive changes.
For individuals striving to stick to their New Year’s resolutions, the researchers recommend prioritizing sleep to maintain alertness and willpower. Adequate rest can support the formation of new habits and help resist the temptation to fall back on old patterns when tiredness strikes.
The study highlights the importance of sleep in achieving success in our goals and emphasizes the need to address sleepiness as a factor that can influence our behavior. By taking care of our sleep health, we can enhance our ability to make conscious choices and stay on track with our resolutions.
