It is not necessarily the number of hours that determines the quality of sleep, but rather certain habits which, in the long term, can increase life expectancy and prevent the onset of illnesses.
- The quantity of hours of sleep is not the only guarantee of its quality.
- Rhythm and not having nocturnal awakenings matter too.
- Following 5 good sleep habits reduces the risk of suffering from certain diseases.
It takes between six hours for light sleepers and up to ten hours for those who need more sleep, depending on health insurance. But to measure the quality of sleep, the duration is far from being the only characteristic. A preliminary study, which will be presented during the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiologyexplains that rhythm and regularity are just as important.
Better life expectancy with good sleep
“If people all have good sleep behaviors, they’ll be more likely to live longer“says Dr. Frank Qian, a clinical researcher at Harvard Medical School. Recent studies have shown that irregular sleep patterns and duration are linked to metabolic abnormalities and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Encouraging maintenance of regular sleep schedules with consistent durations can be an important part of lifestyle recommendations for the prevention of heart disease.“
To arrive at their results, the scientists analyzed data from more than 172,000 people who answered sleep questionnaires between 2013 and 2018. They also defined five good sleep habits, namely: falling asleep easily, not no nocturnal awakenings, sleeping seven to eight hours, waking up feeling rested, and not taking sleeping pills.
Four years later, scientists compared the participants’ scores with the National Death Index to see if their sleep behaviors contributed to premature death from certain diseases or any cause. Other risk factors, such as alcohol consumption, lower socioeconomic status and health history, were also taken into account.
Reduced risk of developing certain pathologies
Results: Compared to people who had zero to one good sleep habit, those who had five had a 30% lower risk of dying for any reason, 21% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, 19% lower risk of cancer and 40% less for causes other than heart disease or cancer.
The authors estimate that men who followed the five good sleep habits had a 4.7-year higher life expectancy compared to those who had none or only one. For women, the gain was only 2.4 years compared to those who had no or only one good habit.
One of the hypotheses that could explain the difference between women and men is, according to the authors, the difficulty in diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea in women. They “are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed, as they may not have the classic symptoms we see in men“, says Dr. Raj Dasgupta.
Thus, the researchers recommend respecting, from an early age, a regular sleep rhythm, that is to say going to bed and getting up at the same time, even on weekends and public holidays. On the other hand, it is also necessary that the environment of the bedroom is optimal: good temperature, without noise, in the dark. Also avoid screens in the evening and alcohol… Prefer relaxation sessions, such as a little ritual to prepare for bed: meditation, yoga, reading, etc.
