It’s sometimes easy to understate the importance of getting good quality sleep. It’s something we do every night, but it can have a vital impact on our health and wellbeing.
Well, according to a new study published in the health journal Sleep, making sure you’re nailing your sleep hygiene could be the key to optimal health and longevity.
The study notes that “irregularly timed sleep, inconsistent duration and non-optimal sleep duration have been implicated in the aetiology (cause) of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality.”
The study looked at over 1,700 people for a median of seven years, and there were 171 deaths over that time.
The study participants took part in questionnaires, clinical sleep studies and used sleep monitors like health-tracking watches to follow their sleep patterns.
They concluded that the group of those who had ‘regular to optimal’ sleep had a 42% lower mortality risk, compared to the ‘irregular and insufficient’ sleep group.
The researchers found that those who had regular and optimal sleep patterns like regular bed and wake times, benefited from better health outcomes than those who didn’t.
So, yes – bad sleep can actually lead to premature mortality. That sounds scary, but there are things you can do to help improve your sleep quality.
- Be consistent – the study found that those who went to bed and woke at the same time every day were healthier overall.
- Remove blue light-emitting devices like smartphones, TVs and laptops so you can signal to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep.
- Try reading or gentle exercise like yoga before bed to tire yourself out.
- Switch out the late afternoon caffeine boost for some healthy energy nibbles like protein balls or a shake.
- Make sure your room is dark and cool enough to get to sleep. The best room temperature is apparently 18.3 degrees celsius, according to the Sleep Foundation.