Khaberni - A good night's sleep is not just a luxury, a new study prepared by Oregon Health and Science University in America indicates that lack of sleep may shorten lifespan.
The study was published today in the journal SLEEP Advances, and was written about by EurekAlert.
Researchers used a large national database to search for survey trends related to the average life expectancy in each county, and they compared county-level data on life expectancy with comprehensive survey data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2019 and 2025.
As a behavioral factor for life expectancy, sleep stood out more than diet, more than physical exercise, more than feelings of loneliness, in fact more than any other factor except smoking.
The lead author, Andrew McHill, PhD, and associate professor at Oregon Health and Science University's College of Nursing and School of Medicine, said: "I did not expect it to be so closely related to life expectancy. We always believed sleep is important, but this research truly emphasizes that point: People should strive to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep if possible."
The research was primarily conducted by graduate students in the Sleep, Circadian Biology, and Health Laboratory at the College of Nursing at Oregon Health and Science University.
Lack of Sleep Leads to Increased Risk of Death
Scientists have widely understood the importance of adequate sleep for achieving a variety of positive health outcomes. However, McHill and his colleagues were surprised by the strength of the relationship to life expectancy, as the effect of sleep deprivation overshadowed the impact of diet and exercise as an indicator of life expectancy.
McHill said: "It's intuitive and makes a lot of sense, but it's remarkable to see it so strongly manifested in all these models. I specialize in sleep physiology and recognize the health benefits of sleep, but the strength of the connection between adequate sleep and life expectancy was striking to me."
Although previous research generally showed that lack of sleep leads to an increased risk of death, the new research is the first to reveal yearly correlations between sleep and life expectancy in every American state. For modeling purposes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that adequate sleep is at least 7 hours per night, which is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.
Researchers found clear correlations every year and in most American states between sleep and life expectancy.
While the statistical analysis did not delve into the reasons why sleep deprivation affects life expectancy, McHill pointed out that sleep affects cardiovascular health, immune system function, and brain functions.
He said: "This research shows that we need to prioritize sleep, at least as much as we do our diet or how we exercise. Sometimes, we think of sleep as something we can postpone to later or over the weekend."
He added: "Getting a peaceful night's sleep improves your mood, and it also extends your life."
