Research by American scientists indicated that chronic sleep deficiency, regarding its negative effect on lifespan, is second only to smoking, surpassing factors like imbalanced nutrition, insufficient physical activity, and social isolation. Specialists from Oregon Health & Science University reached these conclusions after examining statistical data across all U.S. counties over several years, reports SLEEP Advances.
The researchers correlated information on average life expectancy in diverse regions with survey results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which factored in people’s lifestyles and habits, including their sleep patterns.
The study’s findings confirmed a direct link between regularly reduced nightly rest and a shorter life span. The habit of sleeping under seven hours daily, rather than occasional sleepless nights, was characteristic of those counties where lower average life expectancy was observed. Sleep’s substantial impact on longevity is due to its fundamental role in the body’s restorative processes.
During adequate sleep, crucial amelioration of the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems takes place. Its persistent lack results in a gradual yet steady decline in well-being: the risk of heart attacks and strokes escalates, immune system efficacy diminishes, making individuals more susceptible to infections, and cognitive functions—attention, memory, and reaction speed—deteriorate.
Therefore, systematic sleep deprivation becomes a potent factor that erodes the body’s reserves year by year and shortens one’s existence, placing it alongside the most hazardous health habits.
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