A recent study published in Health Data Science has found a significant association between poor sleep regularity and an elevated risk of 172 diseases. The research, led by teams from Peking University and Army Medical University, analyzed objective sleep data from over 88,000 adults in the UK Biobank.
The study revealed that irregular bedtimes, unstable circadian rhythms, and low sleep efficiency were among the most damaging traits. Going to bed after 12:30 a.m. significantly raised the risk for serious conditions like liver cirrhosis and gangrene. In contrast, long sleep was not linked to poor health in most cases, contrary to previous assumptions.
The findings challenge previous claims that “long sleep” is harmful and highlight the importance of sleep regularity, such as bedtime consistency and circadian rhythm stability, in disease risk. The study also identified 92 diseases with over 20% of their risk attributable to poor sleep behavior.
“Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity,” said Prof. Shengfeng Wang, senior author of the study. “It’s time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration.”
Source: https://neurosciencenews.com/sleeep-health-disease-29531