SLEEP PROBLEMS EXACERBATE THE EMOTIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF INTERPERSONAL REJECTION

Previous literature has established a link between experiences of interpersonal rejection and hurt feelings. However, little research has examined intra-individual differences in sensitivity to rejection. We address this gap in research through examining daily fluctuations in sensitivity to rejection and poor sleep as a risk factor for these increases in sensitivity. Participants were 77 heterosexual college-student couples who completed daily diary measures of previous night's sleep quality, as well as daily experiences of rejection and hurt feelings over a period of 7 days. During this time, participants also wore an actigraph in order to obtain objective measures of sleep quality and duration. The association between perceived rejection and hurt feelings was manifest only under conditions of poor sleep (lower quality and quantity). Results highlight the importance of sleep for coping with daily interpersonal events and improve understanding of intra-individual differences in sensitivity to rejection.