We all have those days when we feel particularly generous, while on other occasions, we prefer to keep our money to ourselves. A new study has revealed that the desire to donate money to charity may depend on how well a person slept the night before.
What Scientists Discovered
A team of researchers from the University of Bern (Switzerland) claims that people are more likely to donate money to charity if they had a good night’s sleep.
The researchers involved 54 adults in their experiment, which aimed to study so-called prosocial behavior—actions taken to benefit others.
Initially, the scientists recorded the brain activity of participants during a typical night’s sleep using sensors. The following day, the volunteers participated in a game where they were given tokens equivalent to real money. Participants had to decide whether to keep the tokens for themselves or donate a portion “for the greater good.”
The results showed that individuals with higher levels of slow-wave sleep activity (indicating deeper sleep) were more likely to donate money.
This brain activity was recorded in the right temporal lobe, which is associated with thoughts about other people, the Daily Mail reported. Interestingly, the duration of the participants’ sleep did not seem to affect their decisions during the game.
In their report, the team stated: “Prosocial behavior is vital for maintaining the integrity of our society. These results contribute to the formation of a new concept explaining the connection between sleep and prosocial behavior.”
Good sleep quality is typically defined by the ability to fall asleep quickly (within 15 minutes) and to stay asleep without waking up frequently throughout the night.
People who sleep soundly and for longer periods usually feel rested throughout the day and report satisfaction with their nighttime sleep.
The findings of the study were published in the journal Neuroscience.
A previous study by researchers at the University of Calgary (Canada) also found a significant link between a person’s sleep quality and their ability to empathize with others.