Overview
- An Oregon Health & Science University analysis of CDC county-level data from 2019 to 2025 found that regularly sleeping under seven hours was linked to shorter life expectancy, with sleep showing a stronger association than diet, physical activity or social isolation and only smoking ranking higher.
- The OHSU team reported the sleep–lifespan relationship was consistent year by year across U.S. states, and the study’s lead author advised aiming for seven to nine hours nightly.
- A report using 47 million nights of data from Vitality and the London School of Economics found good sleepers were 24% less likely to die prematurely and estimated ideal sleep habits could add two to four years to life expectancy.
- University of Sydney researchers, analyzing UK Biobank data, estimated that people with the healthiest sleep, activity and diets lived about 9.35 years longer than those with the poorest profiles, and that small combined improvements could add roughly one year of life for those starting with the least healthy habits.
- A Lancet study led by the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences linked five extra minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous activity to about 10% fewer deaths in the general population (6% among the least active), with a 10‑minute daily walk associated with roughly a 15% reduction and 30 fewer minutes of sitting tied to about a 5% decrease.