More REM sleep linked to lower risk of 83 diseases
A large study tracking more than 95,000 people suggests that how you sleep may be linked to your risk of developing dozens of diseases. People who spent more time in REM sleep had lower risks of 83 conditions, including dementia, heart failure, and Parkinson’s disease, while more deep sleep was associated with lower risks of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and major depression.
A recent study published in PLOS Medicine found that increased amounts of REM and deep sleep were associated with a lower risk of 83 different diseases, while less than 5 hours of total sleep was linked to a higher risk of disease. The research, conducted by Shengzhi Sun and colleagues at Capital Medical University in China, analyzed data from 95,559 UK Biobank participants who wore wrist accelerometers for seven days.
The study discovered that greater REM sleep was tied to a decreased risk of conditions like heart failure, dementia, and Parkinson's disease, while deeper sleep was associated with reduced risks for type 2 diabetes and major depressive disorder. Additionally, higher sleep irregularity and wakefulness after sleep onset were linked to increased risks for various health issues, including anxiety and substance use disorders.
The optimal sleep duration appeared to be between 6 and 8 hours, as too little or too much sleep was associated with elevated risks for many diseases. However, as an observational study, the research cannot definitively prove that sleep patterns directly cause disease risk. The findings support the recommendation of the Chinese National Health Commission to prioritize 6-8 hours of sleep for health maintenance and disease prevention.
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