When you are busy with your schoolwork, you might find it hard to get enough sleep. We all know that not getting enough sleep is bad for our health. But it has been found that less sleep could even cause you to have fewer friends, the Guardian reported.
According to researchers from the University of California, people who don't get enough sleep show no social interest in others. They are simply too tired to talk with others.
The researchers did a small study. They tested 18 young people who had just had a good night's sleep—as well as tested them again after a sleepless night. Then the 18 young people watched videos of people walking toward them. When the person on the video got too "close" to them, they pushed a button (按钮) to stop the video, which recorded how close they allowed the person to get.
The results showed that people kept the person at 60 percent further back if they hadn't got enough sleep. They felt that their personal space was being invaded (入侵). But when they got a good night's sleep, they allowed the person to get much closer to them.
According to lead researcher Matthew Walker, the less sleep you get, the less you want to socialize (交际) with others. In turn, other people may think you are weird and stay away from you. This can make you feel lonely and cause you to sleep even less. It becomes a vicious cycle (恶性循环).
So if you want to be a more sociable and popular person, sleeping well might help. "One night of good sleep makes you feel more outgoing and socially confident." Walker told the Daily Mail.