Sleeping less than seven hours a night may affect recovery and life expectancy

A recent study reported that routinely sleeping under seven hours is linked with a larger reduction in life expectancy than most other adverse behaviors except smoking; a sleep expert notes that REM-rich later sleep is key and that most adults typically need seven to nine hours, though a small minority may need less.

I regularly sleep less than seven hours most nights and a recent study prompted questions about whether that habit matters for long-term health. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University reported that habitual short sleep is associated with a greater drop in life expectancy than other adverse behaviors except smoking. Hannah Shore, Head of Sleep Science at Mattress Online, explained how the later stages of sleep support brain recovery and why overall sleep architecture matters. The article also summarizes other research and describes how sleep needs can vary between individuals. Key points: - The reported study linked consistent sleep under seven hours with a larger decrease in life expectancy than most other adverse behaviors, with smoking noted as an exception. - Shore said REM and lighter sleep in the second half of the night play a role in memory processing, emotional regulation, and daily recovery. - Most healthy adults are commonly recommended to get seven to nine hours to allow full cycling through sleep stages; a minority (about 1–3%) may have Short Sleeper Syndrome and need less sleep. - Another well-cited paper identifies six hours as a lower threshold below which risk for some cardiovascular outcomes rises. - The article reports behavioral issues that can shorten sleep, such as revenge bedtime procrastination, and mentions orthosomnia as worry about sleep that can interfere with falling asleep; Shore described winding-down habits and scheduling daytime breaks as ways people often try to improve sleep timing. Summary: The study emphasizes an association between habitual short sleep and reduced life expectancy, while sleep experts highlighted the importance of REM-rich later sleep and noted typical adult needs of seven to nine hours versus a small subset who naturally need less. Undetermined at this time.