New research suggests that good sleep habits can play a role in supporting overall health and may even contribute to a longer life, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology. The study found that young people who had more beneficial sleep habits were incrementally less likely to die early.
Researchers included data from 172,321 people who participated in the National Health Interview Survey between 2013 and 2018, with the study finding that if people develop good sleep habits from an early age, this can greatly benefit their long-term health.
The study analyzed five different factors of quality sleep using a low-risk sleep score. Factors included ideal sleep duration of seven to eight hours a night, difficulty falling asleep no more than two times a week, trouble staying asleep no more than two times a week, not using any sleep medication, and feeling well-rested after waking up at least five days a week. Each factor was assigned zero or one point for each, for a maximum of five points, which indicated the highest quality sleep. The results found that those who had all five were 30% less likely to die for any reason, 21% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, 19% less likely to die from cancer, and 40% less likely to die of causes other than heart disease or cancer.
The researchers suggest that if people can improve sleep overall and identify sleep disorders, it may be possible to prevent some premature mortality. Additional research is needed to understand how gains in life expectancy might continue as people age, as well as to further explore the sex differences that were observed.
