Interactions between sleep habits and self-control

• Published in: Frontiers in human neuroscience Vol. 9; p. 284
• Main Authors: Pilcher, June J, Morris, Drew M, Donnelly, Janet, Feigl, Hayley B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Research Foundation 11.05.2015; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Decision making; effort; Glucose; Human performance; Metabolism; Motivation; Neuroscience; Physiology; Prefrontal Cortex; Researchers; Self control; Sleep; Sleep deprivation; sleep; glucose; controlled attention model; physiological resources; prefrontal cortex; motivation; self-control; effort
• ISSN: 1662-5161; 1662-5161
• DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00284

Good sleep habits and effective self-control are important components of successful functioning. Unfortunately chronic sleep loss and impaired self-control are common occurrences for many individuals which can lead to difficulty with daily self-control issues such as resisting impulses and maintaining attentive behavior. Understanding how self-control is depleted and how good sleep habits may help replenish and maintain the capacity for self-control is an important issue. A sleep-deprived individual who has expended the necessary resources for self-control is at an increased risk for succumbing to impulsive desires, poor attentional capacity, and compromised decision making. To date, few studies have investigated how sleep and self-control are inter-related. The goal of this mini-review is to explore the intersection between sleep habits and self-control and encourage researchers to focus on a new area of research that integrates what are at present largely separate areas in psychology and human neurosciences.