Social Experiences and Sleep Study

This study will test the effect of race-based social rejection on polysomnography derived sleep outcomes and nocturnal cardiovascular psychophysiology in a sample of 80 African Americans and 80 Caucasian Americans. The investigators will test group differences on these outcomes as well as within subjects by testing impact of rejection compared to a non-rejection control night in the sleep laboratory.

African Americans (AA) are disproportionally burdened by cardiovascular disease compared to Caucasian Americans (CA). Poor sleep, which is more common among AA, may serve as an important pathway in understanding these disparities. Race-based rejection has been cross-sectionally related to poor sleep and negative cardiovascular outcomes. To test the links between social experiences and sleep, participants will spend two nights in the sleep laboratory. One night will be a control night where participants complete low arousal tasks prior to bedtime. On a second night, the investigators will randomize 80 AA and 80 CA to either race-based social rejection (i.e., being rejected by an out-group member) or same-race social rejection prior to bedtime to test the causal influences of race-based rejection on objective sleep parameters, measured using polysomnography, and nocturnal cardiovascular functioning. The investigators will test group differences on these outcomes as well as within subjects by testing impact of rejection compared to a non-rejection control night in the sleep laboratory. The order of the control and rejection task night will be counterbalanced.