WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study from Oregon Health & Science University suggests that not getting enough sleep could shorten your life.
The research, published in the journal SLEEP Advances, used a large national database to compare average sleep habits with average life expectancy across U.S. counties. The data came from a CDC survey conducted between 2019 and 2025, where people were asked a basic question: 'On average, how many hours do you sleep in a day?'
Researchers then compared sleep patterns with other known health risk factors, such as smoking, obesity, diabetes, lack of exercise, food insecurity, unemployment, low education levels, and lack of health insurance.
They found that sleep was one of the strongest predictors of how long people live. Smoking had the biggest effect on shortening life expectancy, but lack of sleep ranked second, which was ahead of obesity, diabetes, and physical inactivity. Even when obesity and diabetes were included in a second analysis, not getting enough sleep still remained a meaningful risk factor.
The data also showed big differences between nearby counties. For example, one county might have 40 percent of residents who don't get enough sleep, while the neighboring county has only 25 percent. These gaps were reflected with several years' difference in life expectancy.
'I didn't expect it to be so strongly correlated to life expectancy,' commented senior author Andrew McHill, an associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University. 'We've always thought sleep is important, but this research really drives that point home: People really should strive to get seven to nine hours of sleep if at all possible.'
'Getting a good night's sleep will improve how you feel but also how long you live,' he concluded.
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