According to the research, adults over 50 who sleep less than five hours a night may be at increased risk of developing at least two chronic diseases.
Evidence from self-reported data indicates that, compared to people who slept up to seven hours a night, people who reported sleeping five hours or less were 30% more likely to be diagnosed with diseases, such as cancer, diabetes or heart disease. – Within 25 years.
According to the results, published in the journal Plos Medicine, the researchers involved in the study recommend seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
Dr Severine Sabia, of the Institute of Epidemiology and Health, University College London, and Inserm, Universite Paris Cite, who is also lead author of the study, said: “Multimorbidity (two or more chronic diseases) is on the rise in high income countries and more than half of older adults now have at least two chronic diseases. This is proving to be a major challenge for public health as multimorbidity is associated with high healthcare service use, hospitalisations and disability,” reports RTE.
As part of the study, the researchers analyzed self-reported sleep duration data from nearly 8,000 adults, measured at ages 50, 60, and 70.
The team found that by age 50, those who slept five hours or less had a 30% increased risk of multimorbidity over 25 years of follow-up, compared with those who slept seven hours.
At age 60, those who slept five hours or less had a 32% increased risk and at 70 a 40% increased risk compared to those who slept seven hours a night.
The researchers also found that a sleep duration of five hours or less by the age of 50 was associated with a 25% increased risk of mortality.
This is likely due to the fact that a short duration of sleep increases the risk of chronic disease which, in turn, increases the risk of death, the scientists said.
According to RTE, Dr Sabia said: “To ensure a better night’s sleep, it is important to promote good sleep hygiene, such as making sure the bedroom is quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature before bed.”
The research was funded by the National Institute on Aging, part of the NIH, the UK Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation and Wellcome.
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