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Get Paid To Sleep? Study Shows Surprising Benefits
23 Sep
Summary
- Students earned money for sleeping over seven hours.
- Sleep incentive improved student GPAs by 0.08 points.
- Some positive effects persisted after the money stopped.
A recent study from the University of Pittsburgh explored a novel incentive for students to improve their sleep habits. Undergraduates, aged 19 on average, were financially rewarded with approximately five dollars each time they achieved more than seven hours of sleep on a given night.
This monetary incentive led to a noticeable increase in sleep duration, with rewarded students sleeping an average of 19 more minutes on school nights compared to their peers. Crucially, this led to students meeting the optimal seven-hour sleep target on 26% more nights. The study also reported a positive correlation between improved sleep and academic performance, with the students' grade point average (GPA) rising by an average of 0.08 points.
While sleep trackers and bedtime reminders were provided, the financial reward proved to be the most effective motivator. Notably, the benefits extended beyond the study period; students continued to sleep an additional eight minutes on average in the weeks following the cessation of payments, and their academic performance remained elevated into the subsequent semester.
