lack of sleep It is one of the strongest predictors of decreased life expectancy in the United States, surpassed only by smoking.
That’s according to a new national analysis published in the journal SLEEP Advances, led by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) associate professor and senior author Andrew McHill, Ph.D.
Find out how sleeping habits The researchers examined data from surveys conducted by the CDC in more than 3,000 U.S. counties from 2019 to 2025, according to a press release.
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Adequate sleep is defined as at least 7 hours per night, according to guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Society for Sleep Research.
Researchers compared the averages life expectancy In each county, researchers looked at the percentage of residents who reported getting enough sleep, controlling for traditional predictors of mortality such as smoking, diet, physical inactivity, and loneliness.
Counties with more people reporting sleep deprivation tended to have shorter life expectancy. This pattern holds true for most states and years examined, even when other states are considered. lifestyle factors.
“We did not expect sleep to be so strongly correlated with life expectancy,” McHill said in a press release, noting that while the importance of sleep to health is well established, the association with life expectancy was stronger than expected.
“We’ve always thought sleep is important, and this study really drives home that point. People should try to get seven to nine hours of sleep if possible.”
The study builds on extensive evidence linking sleep duration to health outcomes such as mortality risk, heart health, immunity, and immunity. brain function.
However, this is the first analysis to map the relationship between sleep duration and life expectancy at a detailed county level over multiple years, establishing a consistent association across diverse communities, the release said.
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This study had several limitations, including reliance on self-report. survey dataThis may be influenced by reporting bias. The researchers also noted that they could not establish a causal relationship and could not explain the biological factors behind the results.
Although several lifestyle factors are controlled for in the statistical model, other unmeasured variables may influence both sleep patterns and life expectancy.
The study found that sleep duration alone does not capture other aspects of sleep health, such as sleep quality and regularity, which can also influence long-term outcomes.
The authors emphasized that these findings highlight the importance of prioritizing sleep, as well as sleep, as core to health. diet and exercise.
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“This study shows that we need to prioritize sleep as much as food and nutrition. how we exercise“Getting good quality sleep not only makes you feel better, but it also extends your lifespan,” McHill said.
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The study was primarily conducted by graduate students in the Sleep, Chronobiology, and Health Laboratory in the OHSU School of Nursing.
This study was funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, with institutional support from OHSU.
