Did you know that poor sleep increases the risk for premature death? You may think that you can avoid the negative health impacts of poor sleep by counteracting them with ahealthy habit that promotes healthspan, such as exercise. But, what does the research suggest?

Study Summary

The new research, which included 341,248 adults, found that:

• A long sleep duration, difficulty falling asleep and using sleep medications may increase the risk for death.
• The increased risk of death from these poor sleep hygiene factors may be reduced by 25-65 minutes of daily moderate intensity exercise.
• Using sleep meds, sleeping for more than 8 hours per night and problems falling asleep were associated with an increased risk for death.

The Hearty Take

There is a need for more research to cement these findings. Both sleep and exercise should be prioritized separately! Don’t use this as an excuse to neglect your sleep hygiene, but rather as a reminder that sleep matters and adopting a healthy lifestyle is essential for maximizing healthspan.