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Women's Life Expectancy Boosted by Sleep Habits
15 Jul
Summary
- Five healthy sleep habits can add 2.4 years to women's life expectancy.
- Seven to eight hours of sleep, minimal sleep trouble, and no sleep meds are key.
- Insufficient sleep is strongly linked to lower life expectancy at county level.
Adopting five key healthy sleep behaviors can extend a woman's life expectancy by nearly two and a half years, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Analyzing over 172,000 participants, researchers found women with all five low-risk sleep factors lived longer and had a 30% lower risk of all-cause mortality.
The five beneficial sleep factors include sleeping seven to eight hours daily, experiencing difficulty falling asleep no more than twice weekly, and trouble staying asleep no more than twice weekly. Additionally, avoiding sleep medication and waking up feeling rested at least five days a week are crucial. A dose-response relationship was observed, with more beneficial sleep factors correlating with lower mortality.
Obstructive sleep apnea, often underdiagnosed in women due to atypical symptoms, is linked to increased risks of heart disease and stroke. Irregular sleep patterns also contribute to metabolic abnormalities and higher cardiovascular disease risk. Improving sleep routines is advised by federal health guidance as an effective way for women to support long-term health and longevity.
