An international study published in Health Data Science has found significant associations between sleep patterns and 172 diseases, based on data from 88,461 adults in the UK Biobank. The research, which was led by researchers from Peking University and Army Medical University, emphasizes the importance of sleep regularity—specifically, bedtime consistency and circadian rhythm stability—in influencing disease risk.
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Over an average follow-up of 6.8 years, the study revealed that 92 diseases had more than 20% of their risk attributed to poor sleep behaviors. For instance, an irregular bedtime after 00:30 was associated with a 2.57-fold increase in the risk of liver cirrhosis, while low interdaily stability was linked to a 2.61-fold higher risk of gangrene.
Contrary to prior claims that long sleep (defined as nine hours or more) is harmful, the study’s objective data showed that only one disease had such an association. Previous subjective reports had suggested connections between long sleep and conditions like stroke and heart disease. The researchers pointed out that nearly 21.67% of those classified as "long sleepers" actually logged less than six hours of actual sleep, indicating a potential misinterpretation of time spent in bed versus actual sleep.
Prof. Shengfeng Wang, senior author of the study, remarked on the findings, stating, "Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity. It's time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration."
The study confirmed several associations within U.S. populations and highlighted inflammatory pathways as a potentially significant biological link. Future research will aim to explore causality and evaluate the effects of sleep interventions on chronic disease outcomes.