Experts have praised one small change to your sleep routine that has the potential to help you live longer.
Extending your life expectancy is something many people seek to achieve, with the likes of biohacker Bryan Johnson dedicating his life - and millions of dollars - in a bid to live forever.
Now, a new study has revealed that it could be a lot more simple than you may think and in fact, sleep could play a large role.
According to the research conducted by Vitality in collaboration with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), sleep duration is significant when it comes to longevity.
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Dr Matthew Walker, who is a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the founder and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science, said: “Sleep is the most effective way to rest our mind and body each day.
There is no organ system in the body, or any operation in our mind, that isn't enhanced by good sleep and impaired by poor sleep. Sleep influences everything from cardiovascular and metabolic function to mental well-being.
“Regular, sufficient sleep, seven to eight hours per night, with consistent bed and wake times, is not only restorative but also preventative. By incentivising healthy sleep habits, Discovery and Vitality are taking a science-backed step towards improving long-term health and reducing the risk of chronic disease.
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“I am thrilled to be partnering with Discovery and Vitality on this journey to empower their members with better sleep health.”
The study examined the sleeping habits on 47 million nights of tracked sleep and found that good sleep was linked to around a 4% reduction in mortality risk.
Meanwhile sleep regularity reportedly reduces the risk of mortality by a whopping 31%.
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In the study, it says: “Assuming just 25% of poor sleepers adequately improve their sleep, the US alone would see more than 190 million life-years saved.”
It continues: “Sleep is a biological necessity, not a negotiable luxury. Adults who habitually sleep fewer than six hours a night face a 20% higher risk of premature death compared with those who sleep seven to eight. Cardiovascular disease is a leading pathway: short or fragmented sleep raises blood pressure, stiffens arteries and increases the likelihood of stroke and heart attack. Mortality risk is not linear but U-shaped, with both very short and very long sleep linked to worse outcomes.”
So, maybe sleeping in is exactly what the doctor ordered!