Relationship insecurity explains the connection between poor sleep and jealousy

A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting found that poor sleep quality is related to relationship insecurity, which moderates the effect of sleep quality on daily feelings of jealousy.

Results show that anxious attachment, which involves difficulties with trust and low self-esteem in relationships, was related to poorer sleep quality. The study also found that poor sleep quality was associated with more daily feelings of jealousy, but this effect was only significant for those with high levels of attachment anxiety.

Interestingly, poor sleep wasn't uniformly related to all negative socioemotional outcomes. This suggests that attachment style might shape which emotions are most affected by sleep quality."

Giovanni Alvarado, lead author and doctoral candidate at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep is essential to health. The AASM recommends that adults should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health. In addition to adequate duration, healthy sleep requires good quality, appropriate timing and regularity, and the absence of sleep disturbances or disorders.

The study involved 68 young adults who completed questionnaires about sleep and relationships. They also completed daily self-reports capturing experiences of social emotions and behaviors over a two-week period.

According to Alvarado, the study underscores the complex link between sleep and relationships.

"People with anxious attachment, or those who struggle with insecurity in relationships, may be especially vulnerable to feelings of envy and jealousy when they're sleep deprived," said Alvarado. "This helps us understand why some individuals may have more difficulty navigating social situations when they're tired and could inform more targeted interventions that consider an individual's relationship style when addressing sleep issues."

The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal Sleep and will be presented Tuesday, June 10, during SLEEP 2025 in Seattle. SLEEP is the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.