Research analyzed the impact of sleep duration on the health of more than 7,000 men and women aged 50, 60 and 70 from the Whitehall II Cohort Study. The researchers examined the relationship between how long individual participants slept, mortality, and whether they were diagnosed with two or more chronic diseases (multimorbidity) — such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes — over a 25-year period. People who reported sleeping five hours or less at age 50 were 20% more likely to be diagnosed with a chronic disease and 40% more likely to be diagnosed with two or more chronic diseases over a 25-year period. compared to people who slept longer. up to seven hours.
In addition, sleeping five hours or less at ages 50, 60, and 70 was associated with a 30% to 40% increased risk of multimorbidity compared to those who slept up to seven hours. The researchers also found that sleeping five hours or less at age 50 was associated with a 25% increased risk of mortality over the 25-year follow-up – which could be explained mainly by the fact that short sleep increases the risk of chronic diseases, which in turn increase the risk of death.
Lead author Dr. Severine Sabia (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health and Inserm, Université Paris Cité) said: “Multimorbidity is on the rise in high-income countries and more than half of older adults now have at least two chronic diseases. It is emerging as a major public health challenge, because multimorbidity is associated with high utilization of health services, hospitalizations, and disability. “As people age, their sleep habits and sleep structure change. However, it is recommended to sleep 7 to 8 hours a night – because sleep durations above or below this limit have previously been associated with certain chronic diseases. “Our findings show that short sleep duration is also associated with multimorbidity.
“To ensure a better night’s sleep, it’s important to promote good sleep hygiene, such as making sure the bedroom is quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature before bed. It’s also recommended to remove electronic devices before bed and avoid large meals.” Physical activity and exposure to light during the day can also promote good sleep.” As part of the study, the researchers also assessed whether long sleep, nine hours or more, affected health outcomes. There was no clear association between long sleep at age 50 and multimorbidity in healthy people.
However, if the participant was already diagnosed with a chronic condition, then long sleep duration was associated with an approximately 35% increased risk of developing another disease. Researchers believe this may be due to underlying medical conditions affecting sleep. Jo Whitmore, chief cardiology nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Getting enough sleep allows your body to rest. There are a number of other ways in which poor sleep can increase the risk of heart disease or stroke, including increasing inflammation and raising blood pressure.” pressure.” This research adds to a growing body of research highlighting the importance of a good night’s sleep.” The research was funded by the National Institute on Ageing, which is part of the NIH, the UK Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation and Wellcome.
Study limitations are:
The researchers used self-reported sleep data, which is likely subject to reporting bias, although using data from 4,000 participants whose sleep was measured using an electronic device supports the findings. Meanwhile, sleep quality data was only available for people in their 60s and 70s. The Whitehall II study only includes civil servants who were all employed when they were recruited into the study and are likely to be healthier than the general population.
Source Reference: Séverine Sabia, Aline Dugravot et al., Association of sleep duration at age 50, 60, and 70 years with risk of multimorbidity in the UK: 25-year follow-up of the Whitehall II cohort study. PLOS Medicine, 2022; 19 (10): e1004109 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004109
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