The Importance Of Sleep

A new study undertaken by researchers in the UK and Italy suggests that abnormal sleeping pattern may result in an increased risk of premature death. The research took data from studies across Europe, the US and Asia over 25 years, covering more than a million people and over 100,000 deaths. There were two key findings from the research as reported by The Guardian.

It found that those who generally slept for less than six hours a night were 12% more likely to experience a premature death over a period of 25 years than those who consistently got six to eight hours’ sleep.

It also concluded that those who consistently sleep more than nine hours a night can be more likely to die early. Oversleeping itself is not seen as a risk but as a potential indicator of underlying ailments.

Professor Francesco Cappuccio, who led the study, gives an insight on these abnormal sleep patterns.

Modern society has seen a gradual reduction in the average amount of sleep people take, and this pattern is more common amongst full-time workers, suggesting that it may be due to societal pressures for longer working hours and more shift-work. On the other hand, the deterioration of our health status is often accompanied by an extension of our sleeping time.

Separate research on the impact of sleeplessness on work corroborates this study. Professor Charles Czeisler of Harvard Medical School says that going without sleep for an entire day or getting only five hours of sleep a night for a week is the equivalent of a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent.

The study, which was published in the Sleep Journal, concludes that a consistent sleep of six to eight hours per night may be optimal for health.

Guardian: “Sleeping for less than six hours may cause early death, study finds”

Image by Loving Earth