Researchers have discovered that a good night’s sleep is linked to a reduction in feelings of loneliness, with the recommended sleep duration for adults being between seven to nine hours.
Loneliness is a feeling that almost everyone has experienced, and for some, this feeling is more frequent.
In a survey conducted by the American Psychiatric Association in 2024, one in three adults in the U.S. reported feeling lonely at least once a week.
According to HuffPost, a new study reveals that we can “alleviate this feeling” in a surprisingly effective way.
Sleep health is measured by assessing sleep regularity, satisfaction, duration, effectiveness, and daytime alertness. (Source: Pexels).
A study published in June analyzed the relationship between sleep health and loneliness among 2,297 adults in the U.S.
Researchers found that a good night’s sleep is associated with reduced feelings of loneliness. (The recommended sleep duration for adults is between seven to nine hours).
Each participant in the study filled out a sleep questionnaire and was assessed on a loneliness scale, which included both emotional and social loneliness.
“Emotional loneliness” is defined in the study as the absence of a close relationship, such as with a partner.
“Social loneliness” is defined as lacking a broader social network.
The study indicates that there is a stronger connection between good sleep and lower levels of loneliness—particularly emotional loneliness—among younger individuals. However, the study remains uncertain about the reasons behind this relationship.
Sleep health is measured by assessing sleep regularity, satisfaction, duration, effectiveness, and daytime alertness.
Further research is needed to better understand why the relationship between sleep and loneliness is stronger in younger individuals.
Nicole Moshfegh, a clinical sleep psychologist at a private practice in Los Angeles, told HuffPost: “I would like to see more studies to support this finding, because there have been some contradictory studies in the past that indicated age is not related to this correlation.”
Why might feelings of loneliness be related to how we sleep?
Some previous studies suggest that loneliness can impact a person’s sleep, while others indicate that poor sleep can lead to feelings of loneliness. Moshfegh stated: “I view this as a bidirectional relationship at this point.”
Yishan Xu, a clinical psychologist in California, noted that while poor-quality sleep may not be the primary cause of emotional issues, it can sometimes exacerbate them.
Poor-quality sleep may not be the primary cause of emotional problems, but it can sometimes contribute to worsening feelings. (Source: Pexels)
Both sleep psychologists who spoke with HuffPost cited several reasons why poor sleep quality might contribute to feelings of loneliness in a person.
Firstly, a person may be less inclined to interact with others and withdraw from social interactions if they are not well-rested, Xu explained.
Moreover, when we do not get enough sleep to meet our body’s needs, “we may see an increase in mood and anxiety issues,” Moshfegh stated.
“We may feel more helpless, have lower self-worth or self-esteem, and then we may start to feel lonely and isolated.”
Xu explained that a person may become more irritable or less empathetic, interpreting what others say or do through a negative lens. They might feel as though others do not understand or like them.
One reason for this is that the brain reinforces your thoughts and memories during the day while you sleep. For example, during the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage, the brain processes emotional memories it recorded while you were awake, Xu mentioned.
The brain goes through 4 different stages during sleep. (Source: Pexels)
During sleep, the brain needs to go through 4 different stages. One of these stages is rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
In this stage of sleep, the eyes move uncontrollably back and forth in various directions. Typically, individuals enter REM sleep about 90 minutes after falling asleep. This is when the brain filters through all the day’s memories, resulting in strange images that combine to form dreams.
If a person is continuously disrupted during this REM stage of sleep, their brain will not have enough time to process, which can lead to mood issues when they wake up.
