Key sleep behaviors that could improve life expectancy identified by researchers

New research set to be presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with the World Congress of Cardiology in March has suggested that overall sleep habits throughout the week may be a key factor in living a longer life, rather than just clocking enough hours of sleep each night.

The study, reported by Science Daily, identified five sleep indicators that were found to improve longevity in some individuals. Researchers analyzed data from over 170,000 participants in the US National Health Interview Survey between 2013 and 2018, examining the five different factors of quality sleep that affect life expectancy. These factors included an ideal sleep duration of seven to eight hours a night, difficulty falling asleep and 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.

Participants self-reported on each factor and were given a score of either zero or one, adding up to a maximum of five points for good sleep. Those who had all five favorable sleep factors were found to be 30% less likely to die for any reason, 21% less likely to die from heart disease, and 19% less likely to die from cancer. The study also found that poor sleep patterns could be attributed to about 8% of deaths. The researchers hope that this study will encourage doctors to include sleep as part of their health assessments.

References: American College of Cardiology. (2023, February 24). Getting good sleep could add years to your life: Having five low-risk sleep habits may have long-term benefits. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 1, 2023 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230224135111.htm
Boer, T. D. (2023, February 28). Sleep quality and life expectancy: research results. CTV News. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/key-sleep-behaviours-that-could-improve-life-expectancy-identified-by-researchers-1.6291762