A study conducted by Oregon Health & Science University emphasizes that sleep deficit can significantly shorten lifespan. The findings, published in the journal SLEEP Advances, confirm the importance of sleep for health, equivalent to factors such as physical activity and diet.
Researchers compared average lifespan in various U.S. counties with survey data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to 2025.
It turned out that sleep plays a more vital role in longevity than diet, physical exertion, or solitude. The only element that affects lifespan more strongly is smoking.
“I did not anticipate that sleep would correlate so strongly with lifespan. This discovery definitively confirms the significance of sleep: individuals truly ought to aim for seven to nine hours nightly,” admitted Andrew McHill, the study’s lead.
His team also stressed that this outcome applies not only to individuals but to the entire populace.
Previous research had already linked insufficient sleep with an increased mortality risk, yet this novel study is the first to establish a long-term correlation between sleep duration and lifespan.
Although the research did not delve into the reasons why sleep deficiency reduces lifespan, McHill noted that sleep deprivation impacts cardiovascular health, immunity, and brain activity.
“This investigation verifies that sleep deserves the same focus as nutrition and workouts. Rest is not something that can be postponed,” the scientist concluded.
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