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Adequate sleep may have a stronger impact on life expectancy than diet or physical activity, according to new research cited by ScienceAlert.
Scientists from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) analyzed U.S. survey data from 2019 to 2025, comparing self-reported sleep duration with projected life expectancy. Sleeping fewer than seven hours per night was classified as insufficient.
Even after accounting for factors such as physical activity, employment status, and education level, the link between insufficient sleep and lower life expectancy remained strong. Only smoking showed a significantly greater negative effect.
“I didn’t expect [sleep deprivation] to correlate so strongly with life expectancy,” said sleep physiologist Andrew McHill. “We’ve always known sleep is important, but this study really reinforces that people should aim for seven to nine hours whenever possible.”
Researchers caution that the study is observational and does not prove that lack of sleep directly shortens lifespan. It also cannot fully capture the complex interactions between sleep, diet, and physical activity. However, the findings suggest that nightly sleep duration is a key indicator of long-term health.
Earlier research by scientists in France and Belgium also indicated that the limits of human lifespan have not yet been reached, based on data from 450 regions across Western Europe collected between 1992 and 2019.
