Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
Well, for those of us who watched the Super Bowl, depending on which team you were rooting for, the night was long, and you might have ended the experience by saying, “Everything will be better in the morning.” Do we make this statement to console ourselves, or do we truly believe things will “be better” in the morning?
Do people really believe that things are better in the morning? Researchers at the University of London have studied this concept. They tackled this question by asking more than 49,000 people whether a situation in their lives really seems better in the morning.
The researchers examined the mental health status of the study participants. The participants answered questions on how they felt, such as whether they were currently depressed or anxious, have they experienced anxiety and depression, whether they were happy, whether they were satisfied in their lives, whether they believed their lives were worthwhile, and whether they were currently experiencing loneliness. Participants were also asked, “How happy did you feel in the past week?” “How satisfied have you been with your life?” and “To what extent have you felt the things you are doing are worthwhile?”
The researchers found that people generally wake up feeling their best. However, those feelings changed by midnight when the subjects felt their worst. The researchers learned that people feel better during the summer months. So, in general, things seem better in the morning for most people.
The research results also indicated that things were more varied during the weekend and steadier during the week. Mondays and Fridays were the days with the greatest satisfaction and happiness, followed by Tuesdays. It was also noted that Sunday was rated with lower happiness. Loneliness did not differ based on the days of the week.
The researchers postulated that cortisol (a hormone) peaks shortly after awakening and is at its lowest around bedtime. Cortisol is essential in the body and is pivotal to stress response- regulating blood sugar, reducing inflammation, and modulating the immune response. Researchers believe that the rise in cortisol upon awakening may have something to do with the positivity we may experience in the morning. This rise in cortisol helps prepare the body for the day ahead.
The researchers also considered the study participants’ age, current health status, and whether they did or did not work.
Indeed, more research needs to be done to confirm the results of this study. These results may explain why so many believe “everything will be better in the morning,” except when your team loses the Super Bowl.
Dr. Veita Bland is a board-certified Greensboro physician and hypertension specialist. Dr. Bland’s radio show, “It’s a Matter of Your Health,” can be heard live on Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. on N.C. A&T State University’s WNAA, 90.1 FM. Listeners may call in and ask questions. The show is replayed on Sirius 142 at 5 p.m. on Wed. Email Dr. Bland at ideas@blandclinicpa.com.
