Abstract
Introduction
Sleep disturbances have been associated with emotion regulation difficulties, which in turn predicts the onset and maintenance of mental health disorders. However, research has primarily focused on the regulation of negative emotions. Associations between sleep and positive emotion regulation strategies are unknown. The current research examined relationships between subjective sleep disturbances (Study 1 and Study 2), objective sleep (Study 2), and positive emotion regulation strategies, including strategies that enhance or maintain positive emotions (i.e., savoring) and strategies that reduce positive emotion (i.e., dampening).
Methods
In Study 1, participants (N = 388, ages 18–64 years, 65% female) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Responses to Positive Affect questionnaire to assess their positive emotion regulation strategy use, which consists of three subscales (emotion-focused savoring, self-focused savoring, and dampening). Participants in Study 2 (N = 59, ages 18–30 years, 84% female) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Responses to Positive Affect questionnaire, and wore an actigraph for one week.
Results
In Study 1, greater subjective sleep disturbances were associated with increased dampening (β = .45, B = .45, SE = .05, 95% C.I. = .35, .55, p <.001), less emotion-focused savoring (β = -.16, B = -.10, SE = .03, 95% C.I. = -.16, -.04, p <.005) and less self-focused savoring (β = -.16, B = -.08, SE = .03, 95% C.I. = -.13, -.03, p < .05). In Study 2, subjective sleep disturbances were associated with greater dampening (β = .31, B = .70, SE = .32, 95% C.I. = .07, 1.34, p < .05), and marginally less self-focused savoring (β = -.28, B = -.82, SE = .42, 95% C.I. = -1.67, .02, p = .05). Actigraphy-measured sleep was unrelated to positive emotion regulation. All models adjusted for adjusted for age and gender.
Conclusion
Subjective sleep disturbances are associated with positive emotion regulation strategies, particularly strategies that dampen positive emotional experiences. These findings complement prior associations among sleep and the dysregulation of negative emotions, and suggest that sleep-related positive emotion dysregulation may be one mechanism by which sleep can lead to the development of emotional disorders.
Support (if any):
Beliefs about the automaticity of positive mood regulation: examination of the BAMR-Positive Emotion Downregulation Scale in relation to emotion regulation strategies and mood symptoms