Longevity Secret #4: Making Sleep a Priority

 Sleep 

We all know sleep is necessary and important, but why? how much? How does it effect longevity? 

Why 

Sleep five or fewer hours per night may increase mortality risk by as much as 15%. 

The right amount of sleep can combat obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, immune function, metabolic functioning, cognition, waste clearance in the brain, and the common cold. All of which are associated and affected by insufficient sleep. 

How Much 

A sleep study analysis from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey indicates that the highest survival is among individuals that habitually sleep 7 to 8 hours per night. 

It is also noted in this study that this relationship is U-shaped, indicating that too little as well as too much sleep are correlated to mortality rates. 

So, going off of that it would be safe to say that habitually sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night would be a good goal to go for. 

Longevity & Sleep

Overall, getting the correct amount of sleep can have a profound affect on our longevity.

The effects of sleep are showing up all of the body and in health, so this makes it another vital player in increasing longevity. 

Sources/ Further Reading 

Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey

Increase mortality risk from 5 or fewer hours of sleep

Analysis of sleep studies