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The ‘Trendiness’ of Sleep: An Empirical Investigation into the Cyclical Nature of Sleep Time

Author

Listed:
  • Pierre Brochu

    () (Department of Economics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, OntarioCatherine Deri Armstrong)

  • Catherine Deri Armstrong

    () (Department of Economics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario)

  • Louis-Philippe Morin

    () (Department of Economics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario)

Abstract

Using Canadian time use data, we exploit exogenous variation in local unemployment rates to investigate the cyclical nature of sleep time and show that for both men and women, sleep time decreases when the economy is doing relatively better. Our results suggest that in a recession Canadians sleep an average of 2 hours and 34 minutes more per week, or 22 minutes more per day. Given the importance of even small changes in sleep time on measures of cognitive functioning such as reaction time and concentration, our findings may help explain the countercyclical nature of mortality. Further, as we find that sleep is affected by the same economic variables (notably the unemployment rate) that affect market work time, our results also contribute to the limited literature that shows that sleep time should not be treated as exogenously determined, but, like any other resource, determined by its relative cost.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre Brochu & Catherine Deri Armstrong & Louis-Philippe Morin, 2009. "The ‘Trendiness’ of Sleep: An Empirical Investigation into the Cyclical Nature of Sleep Time," Working Papers 0909E, University of Ottawa, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ott:wpaper:0909e
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Miscellaneous
      by Martin Ryan in Geary Behaviour Centre on 2010-01-27 22:20:00

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    Cited by:

    1. Gibson, Matthew & Shrader, Jeffrey, 2014. "Time Use and Productivity: The Wage Returns to Sleep," University of California at San Diego, Economics Working Paper Series qt8zp518hc, Department of Economics, UC San Diego.
    2. Joan Costa-Font & Sarah Flèche, 2017. "Parental Sleep and Employment: Evidence from a British Cohort Study," CEP Discussion Papers dp1467, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    3. Sedigh, Golnaz & Devlin, Rose Anne & Grenier, Gilles & Deri Armstrong, Catherine, 2017. "Revisiting the relationship between wages and sleep duration: The role of insomnia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 125-139.
    4. Giuntella, Osea & Mazzonna, Fabrizio, 2016. "If You Don't Snooze You Lose: Evidence on Health and Weight," IZA Discussion Papers 9773, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    5. Christian Pfeifer, 2015. "Unfair Wage Perceptions and Sleep: Evidence from German Survey Data," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 789, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    6. Masakure, Oliver, 2016. "The effect of employee loyalty on wages," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 274-298.
    7. Bishop, James, 2015. "No Rest for the Weary: Commuting, Hours Worked, and Sleep," MPRA Paper 62162, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Ariizumi, Hideki & Schirle, Tammy, 2012. "Are recessions really good for your health? Evidence from Canada," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(8), pages 1224-1231.
    9. Vicky Barham & Hana Bataineh & Rose Anne Devlin, 2017. "Unmet Health Care and Health Care Utilization," Working Papers 1716E, University of Ottawa, Department of Economics.
    10. Jin, L. & Ziebarth, N.R., 2015. "Sleep and Human Capital: Evidence from Daylight Saving Time," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 15/27, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    11. Oliver Masakure & Kris Gerhardt, 2016. "Employee Commitment and Wages in the Private Sector," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 30(1), pages 38-60, March.
    12. Tinna Laufey Ásgeirsdóttir & Sigurður Páll Ólafsson & Gylfi Zoega, 2016. "Sleep and the management of alertness," Mind & Society: Cognitive Studies in Economics and Social Sciences, Springer;Fondazione Rosselli, vol. 15(2), pages 169-189, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Business Cycles; Sleep.;

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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