Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Poor Sleep Is Related to Increased Death

Adults who take longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep have more than twice the risk of death than adults who take less than 30 minutes to fall asleep.

It's okay. That doesn't mean that the next time you have insomnia, you will die sooner. It just means that they have seen a relationship between poor sleep and an increased risk of death. So perhaps people who have more medical problems can't sleep as well. Or perhaps people who don't sleep well develop more medical problems that increase their risk of death.

"Four in the morning and I've got that feeling
Clock's ticking but my heart's not beating
Eyes open and I'm staring at the ceiling"
- Ivy (Watch on YouTube)

Adults who sleep less than 80% of the time they spend in bed have almost twice the risk of death than adults who sleep more than 80% of the time they spend in bed trying to sleep.

In other words, adults who sleep better the entire night in bed live longer than those who don't. That could be because poor health causes people to not sleep well. It could also mean that people who don't sleep well develop more health problems.

In any case, sleep is not to be discounted as wasted time. Sleep is a vital part of our health. Doctors are so busy taking care of diabetes and colds that they often forget to ask you about sleep. If you are tired during the day and take longer to fall asleep or sleep poorly through the night, you should see a doctor to find out why and how to correct it.

Sleep Tip: Insomnia is related to increased risk of death. You should see a doctor if you have insomnia.

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