A study has pointed out that there are five specific sleeping habits that may significantly decrease one's risk of dying early. The researchers from Harvard think that this study is one of the most comprehensive ones in the field of sleep research.
Five Sleeping Habits That Decrease Early Death Risk
The Daily Mail reports that, according to the researchers, this new five-rule approach may boost lifespan by around five years. The scientists also estimated that around 8% of deaths in the US are linked to poor sleeping habits.
The five sleeping habits are, namely, having seven to eight hours of sleep each night, easily falling asleep during most nights, staying asleep throughout most nights, feeling well-rested upon waking up on most mornings, and not taking any sleep medications.
According to Healthline, the researchers used such factors to gauge the quality of sleep of more than 172,000 individuals who were part of the National Health Interview Survey from 2013 up to 2018. This survey is conducted annually by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics. It covers questions regarding sleeping habits and sleep in general.
After around four years had passed, the researchers utilized information from the National Death Index in order to see who had passed away and examine any potential links between early death risk and poor sleeping patterns. They also considered other factors that may have impacted death risks. These factors included smoking, alcohol consumption, socioeconomic conditions, and medical conditions.
A report about this study was issued through a news release, while the study itself is set to be presented at the joint conference of the American College of Cardiology and World Heart Federation on March 4 to 6.
According to the release, compared to those who had none or just one favorable sleeping habit, individuals who practiced all five had a 30% reduced likelihood of dying due to any reason. Moreover, they also had a 21% reduced likelihood of dying due to cardiovascular conditions, a 19% reduced likelihood of passing away due to cancer, and a 40% reduced likelihood of dying due to other reasons besides cancer or heart disease.
CNN reports that the researchers also noted important differences between men and women. Men who adhered to these sleeping habits had a longer life expectancy, by 4.7 years, compared to those who did not practice any or who only practiced one of these sleeping habits.
Observations were different for women. Those who adhered to all sleeping habits had 2.4 more years compared to those who did not practice any or only did one.
The Importance of Sleep Hygiene
However, due to the observational nature of the study, the researchers were not able to find any causal links between early death risk and these five sleeping habits. They were only able to establish an association between death risk and sleep quality.
Dr. Qian expresses how he thinks such findings stress that sleep length itself is not sufficient. It is important to also have a restful sleep and not experience trouble falling and staying asleep. He also adds that even at younger ages, if people can have good sleeping habits, it can remarkably impact their health in the long term.
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