Sleep, social connection, and wellbeing: implementation of a social intervention to benefit health

Research problem and specific questionsPoor sleep and loneliness are increasingly common, each affecting around 25-40% of the Swedish population.

These have both been found to predict ill-health and all-cause mortality, but there is limited knowledge about how they relate to each other and whether they in combination have a multiplicative effect on health and wellbeing.

We posit that this relationship is bidirectional, that sleepiness decreases social motivation, resulting in fewer social interactions, and subsequent impaired sleep.

This 3-study project will (1) provide knowledge about this potential negative spiral and how it relates to health, and (2) determine the effects of a simple social intervention to improve sleep, social connection, and health.Data and methodStudies 1 and 2 will assess the relationship between sleep and social connection, their separate and combined relationship with health, and sleepiness and social motivation as mechanisms.

Study 1 will collect questionnaire data on these variables in a nationally representative sample (n=3000) and study 2 will use already collected data from a week-long daily and momentary assessment study in 8 workgroups (n=81).

This combination allows for determining the link between these variables both on a large-scale and a day-to-day basis.Study 3 (n=200) will implement and evaluate a low-threshold intervention, targeting sleepiness-related deficits in social motivation.

Drawing on the well-documented positive effects of so-called minimal social interactions, i.e. engagements with strangers or acquaintances, the intervention aims to increase social connection, reduce daytime sleepiness, and improve both sleep and health.Societal relevance and utilisationConsidering the prevalence of sleep problems and loneliness, there is a clear need for more information on how to address these health risks.

By determining the relationship between sleep, sleepiness, and social connection as they relate to health, as well as evaluating an intervention to combat sleepiness and improve health, this project has the potential to contribute to wellbeing both on an individual level and for society at large.Plan for project realisationThe project will be conducted across three years with the involvement of highly skilled and experienced researchers.

The costs are primarily related to salaries and costs of data collection, with smaller expenses for ethical applications and results dissemination.