270. Lack of sleep might lead you to be less generous
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
If you don’t get a good night’s sleep, you might be less willing to help other people. In a new study published in the journal PLOS Biology, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley performed a series of experiments on the effects of sleep on prosocial behavior. The participants completed questionnaires assessing their willingness to help others in everyday situations, such as giving directions. After a night of being sleep deprived, they showed less desire to help others than they did after a night of good rest. Then the researchers used functional MRIs to determine the effect of lost sleep on the brain regions involved in generous behaviors. They observed that sleep deprivation was associated with reduced activity in those brain regions involved in social cognition and social tasks – namely the desire to help other people.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
