Sleep Schedule Consistency and Observable Anxiety Behaviors in Daily Morning Routines

This observational study examines whether sleep schedule consistency is associated with anxiety-related behaviors in a naturalistic setting. Researchers will observe individuals at a local coffee shop during morning hours across five consecutive days. Sleep schedule consistency will be estimated by recording the variability in each participant’s coffee shop arrival time, which serves as a proxy for wake-time consistency. Greater variability in arrival times will indicate lower sleep schedule consistency. To measure anxiety, participants will be observed for a brief 5-10 minute period after arrival using a behavioral checklist that records observable anxiety-related behaviors such as fidgeting, nail biting, leg biting, or repeated phone checking. These behaviors will be tallied and coded on a severity scale to quantify anxiety levels. This naturalistic observational design allows researchers to examine the relationship between sleep schedule consistency and anxiety behaviors without manipulating participants' routine.