Although Americans are finally focusing on getting more sleep—perhaps due to the onslaught of sleep-positive tech like FDA-approved pajamas, weighted blankets, and lamps that mimic the sunrise—there’s still plenty to explore regarding the relationship between snoozing and mental health. And while extensive research and experts have noted links between the two, the findings of one new study in particular will be of interest to summer travelers and busy boss babes alike.
Published in The Lancet Psychiatry, the study analyzed 91,000 United Kingdom residents aged 37 to 73 who wore an accelerometer on their wrist for one week. Researchers determined the circadian rhythmicity of the subjects’ rest-activity cycles—AKA, how consistent they are about bedtime and wake-up time—a measure dubbed the “relative amplitude variable.” They then examined the connection between a low relative amplitude variable (a regularly disrupted circadian rhythm) and conditions such as depression, happiness, and cognitive functioning (using a model that accounted for demographics, lifestyle, education, and other factors that might influence these conditions).
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