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New research suggests that getting enough sleep may be more important for longevity than the foods you eat or how often you exercise. Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University found a surprisingly strong link between sleeping fewer than seven hours a night and a higher risk of early death — second only to smoking in its impact on lifespan.
A clearer predictor than diet or exercise
Researchers analyzed health records from thousands of Americans collected between 2019 and 2025 and compared sleep duration, physical activity, and diet with subsequent mortality. The team concluded that chronic short sleep — defined as under seven hours per night — predicted a greater increase in the probability of premature death than either sedentary behavior or poor nutrition.
"I did not expect sleep to be so strongly associated with life expectancy," says Dr. Andrew McHill, a sleep physiologist and lead author on the study. The findings, summarized in ScienceAlert and published in the journal Sleep Advances, place sleep alongside traditional lifestyle risks as a major factor for public health.
Why short sleep affects longevity
Sleep is a restorative process: it clears metabolic waste from the brain, supports immune function, and regulates hormones that control appetite and glucose metabolism. When people routinely get less than seven hours, these systems are undercut. The study highlights links between short sleep and conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes — both known drivers of reduced life expectancy.
It is important to note the research is observational. That means it identifies strong correlations but cannot prove direct causation. Complex confounders such as chronic stress, socioeconomic factors, or genetics can influence both sleep patterns and health outcomes. Still, the association remained robust even after adjusting for education, employment status, and body mass index.
Practical steps to protect sleep and health
Unlike genetic risk, sleep habits are modifiable. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 7–9 hours of sleep per night for most adults. The study and sleep experts offer practical measures you can adopt:
- Limit stimulating or stressful social media browsing before bed; blue-light exposure and cognitive arousal delay sleep onset.
- Build a consistent sleep schedule: go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends when possible.
- Incorporate relaxing evening routines such as yoga or tai chi to help regulate circadian rhythms and lower stress.
- If you accumulate sleep debt during the week, short additional sleep on weekend nights may partly restore function — though regular nightly sleep is preferable.
These steps, paired with healthy diet and physical activity, form a stronger overall strategy for longer life. For public-health planning, the study suggests policymakers should treat sleep as a core pillar of preventive health alongside nutrition and exercise.
Study limits and what comes next
Future research should explore whether interventions that improve sleep can directly reduce mortality risk and how sleep quality (not just duration) factors into long-term health. Randomized trials, wearable-sensor studies, and investigations into sleep disorders like sleep apnea will help unpack cause and effect.
Meanwhile, for individuals wondering where to focus lifestyle changes, the evidence now supports giving sleep higher priority — because a well-rested body is often better at resisting disease, regulating metabolism, and recovering from daily stressors.
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