Good news, slackers — science suggests that you can snooze your way to a longer life.
We know that sleep is crucial for repairing the body and brain, boosting immunity, regulating mood and balancing appetite hormones, among other essential functions.
Now, researchers from the global insurance provider Vitality and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) report that two specific bedtime regimens can add four years to our lives.
“Sleep has long been known to be of clinical relevance, but it has not been considered to be a daily habit, like physical activity, that can be tracked and improved,” said Dr. Katie Tryon, deputy CEO of Vitality Health.
“For most people, the problem is not pathology, but routine,” she continued. “Reframing sleep in this way shifts the agenda — it makes sleep a behavior that can be tracked, nudged and reinforced.”
Vitality’s analysis of more than 47 million nights of tracked sleep found that snoozing for seven hours a night and maintaining a consistent bedtime — within an hour window — can reduce the risk of early death by 24% and the odds of a hospital stay by up to 7%.
Experts generally recommend adults get seven to nine hours of nightly slumber, but many Americans don’t hit the mark.
The new report revealed that one in three people is logging fewer than seven hours a night.
These insomniacs face a 20% higher risk of premature death compared to those who get seven to eight hours a night, according to Vitality.
Besides early death, chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and depression by disrupting hormones, increasing inflammation, raising blood pressure and hindering glucose control.
Even more important than adequate sleep is bedtime regularity, according to Vitality, which linked inconsistency to a greater risk of hospitalization.
Falling asleep within an hour of the same time each night lowers the likelihood of premature death by 31% and hospitalization by 9%, per Vitality.
The researchers have four suggestions for better ZZZ’s — stick to your bedtime, devise a wind-down routine, turn off screens an hour before bed and use a device to track your sleep.
“Getting to bed 15 minutes earlier every night or picking up a book rather than watching one more episode can make a significant difference over time to sleep quality — and this data shows just how much the individual and society can benefit,” Tryon said.
Following these recommendations will lead to better health and save up to $287 per person annually due to fewer hospital admissions, Vitality reported.
Workers also won’t call in sick as much, with Vitality calculating absenteeism down by as much as six days per year.
“The subsequent impact on productivity cannot be overstated,” said Joan Costa-i-Font, a professor of health economics at LSE.
“This report brings together extensive evidence to show the scale of benefits that improved sleep could deliver,” she added. “If individuals and organizations act on these insights, the potential impact on the health of their employees and the wider economy is profound.”
