Large events, such as an 18-inning World Series game or an election night, often cause sleep loss for many people. Harvard researchers have noted that while the effects of sleep deprivation on individuals are well-documented, the impact on communities remains less understood. A new paper from Harvard sleep experts suggests that “public sleep,” or the collective sleep disruption experienced by communities during major events, warrants further study.
Tony J. Cunningham, a co-author of the study and assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, emphasizes the importance of this concept. He explains that while sleep is usually considered a personal matter, external factors significantly affect it. There’s growing evidence that large-scale events can disrupt sleep for whole communities, similar to established concepts like public mood and memory. However, the sleep aspect has not been explored as extensively.
Evidence shows that losing just an hour of sleep increases risks such as car accidents and cardiac problems. Cunningham argues that community-level sleep disturbances occur more frequently than assumed, raising questions about the associated health and economic costs. This idea applies to various scenarios like elections or natural disasters, where the long-term consequences on sleep need to be studied.
Research conducted during the 2020 and 2024 elections showed similar sleep disruptions among participants, despite differing election outcomes. The participants, predominantly left-leaning white women from the northeastern U.S., experienced mood shifts that varied based on the election results. This suggests that while sleep effects were consistent, mood impacts differed, highlighting a distinct phenomenon.
Studying public sleep is challenging due to the unpredictability of many major events. While some events, like elections, are anticipated, others, such as terrorist attacks, are not. Retrospective data collection complicates the research, but wearable technology like smartwatches offers potential for future studies. These devices can track basic sleep metrics, although more advanced features are needed for comprehensive analysis.
The current gold standard for sleep measurement is polysomnography (PSG), which tracks brain activity, eye movement, and muscle tone. Cunningham hopes advancements in wearable tech and AI will enhance sleep scoring capabilities, providing better insights into public sleep patterns.
Original Source: news.harvard.edu
