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Psychology Today Report on Sleep and Morality
Better Sleep = More Moral Choices
It is common knowledge that we need sleep to maintain physical health. A lack of sleep can also have a negative psychological impact. A recent study of 71 Norwegian cadetssupports the idea that a lack of sleep can also have negativemoral consequences:
"Prior to being sleep-deprived, the cadets were asked to take the Defining Issues Test, an examination based on Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development. Those who score well on the test demonstrate the ability to think abstractly about moral decisions, to effectively weigh harm vs. benefit. Those who score poorly tend to give self-serving answers or strictly follow the rules without evaluating the consequences.
"When the cadets had a good night's rest--an average of 8 hours--they scored well on the test. When they had much less sleep, roughly 2-3 hours (which is common in combat situations) they scored poorly on the test. Perhaps this is at least part of the reason for some of the morally questionable and immoral choices made in combat situations. Most of us will fortunately never face such situations. What relevance might this study have for us?
A bit of introspection and consultation of common sense supports the conclusion of this study. When rested ,we are more likely to have a more general sense of well-being which can support moral motivation. When tired, such motivation can be undermined. Fatigue can make us more prone to being frusrated, angry, and anxious. I am certainly less patient with my children and with my students when I'm in need of sleep.
A good night's sleep is not sufficient for having good character. However, it looks like it is one more thing we can do to promote it in ourselves. And given the fragility of goodness in many situations that we find ourselves in, every little thing we can do to strengthen our character is worth the effort.
Views: 36
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on
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It does sound like good common sense. I think most of us know that if we have slept poorly, or are otherwise in an irritable mood that we have to keep a tighter rein on our emotions and reactions to those around us. This just gives us another tool in our arsenal of self control techniques- be more patient if we didn't sleep well or enough. For those of us with mental illness this means be more aware of the choices we make if we haven't slept well (this is a question my psychiatrist routinely asks) and to realize that a bad day, an irritable mood, depression, or mania may not signal the start of a trend, but some days of bad sleep. Again, comon sense, but it's easy to lose sight.
I do agree bad sleep could result in poor choices by our troops who routinely get by on much less sleep than necessary.
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Permalink Reply by Banyon on
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On the news, from time to time, occasionally I see a violent crime that doesn't make sense. A man who murders his wife or children in a fit of rage. A man with no prior criminal record and no history of drug abuse. I have to believe that at least some of these crimimals are suffering from sleep deprivation and hypoxia caused by sleep-disordered breathing and had they been treated soon enough, the crimes would never have happened.
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