Sleep duration of less than six hours may predict mortality for adults with chronic health conditions, according to new research from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine.
Middle-aged adults who slept few hours and had high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke were found to be at high risk for cancer and early death, wrote Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, Ph.D.
“Our study suggests that achieving normal sleep may be protective for some people with these health conditions and risks,” he said.
The researchers analyzed data from more than 1,600 adults who participated in a one-night sleep study. Cause of death was then tracked for up to 15 years. Among participants who slept less than six hours, those with high blood pressure or diabetes had twice the increased risk of dying from heart disease or stroke. People who had heart disease or stroke had three times the increased risk of dying from cancer. However, people with high blood pressure or diabetes who slept more than six hours had no increase in mortality risk.
Research has increasingly tied sleep to health outcomes. A recent study found that the sweet spot for lowering risk of heart attack is between six and nine hours of nightly sleep, McKnight’s has reported.
