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yesterday

Short Sleep Linked to Lower U.S. Life Expectancy in County-Level Study

Only smoking showed a stronger association with longevity than insufficient sleep.

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The composite image shows a dark haired woman wearing earbuds yawning out of the window as she sits on a tram on the left, and a dark haired man looking into the distance while lying in bed on the right
Sleep under seven hours linked to reduced life expectancy
A young-looking hand holding an elderly person's hand

Overview

  • Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University analyzed CDC survey and mortality data from more than 3,000 counties spanning 2019–2025, using seven hours as the threshold for sufficient sleep.
  • Counties with larger shares of residents sleeping under seven hours consistently recorded shorter life expectancy across income levels and urban–rural settings, with a clear gradient illustrated in Oregon.
  • The association between insufficient sleep and lower life expectancy remained after adjusting for physical inactivity, employment status, and educational attainment.
  • In side-by-side comparisons of behavioral risks, sleep ranked just behind smoking as a predictor of longevity and ahead of diet, exercise, obesity, and diabetes.
  • Authors recommend aiming for seven to nine hours of nightly sleep while noting the study is observational and based on self-reported, county-level data that cannot establish causation.