Study Shows Poor Sleep Habits May Be Linked to 172 Diseases

A study published in Health Data Science has revealed strong associations between poor sleep patterns and the risk of developing 172 different diseases. Led by researchers from Peking University and Army Medical University, the study analyzed sleep behavior in 88,461 adults from the UK Biobank, making it one of the most comprehensive investigations into the health effects of sleep regularity to date.

While sleep duration has traditionally dominated public health discussions, this study shifts the spotlight to sleep regularity including bedtime consistency and circadian rhythm stability as a critical but underappreciated factor in long-term health outcomes.

The researchers used actigraphy a method of objectively measuring movement and sleep to track participants’ sleep over an average period of 6.8 years. The data were then cross-referenced with clinical records to examine associations with disease risk. Results showed that 92 diseases had over 20% of their risk attributable to poor sleep behavior. Notably, people with an irregular bedtime after 12:30 a.m. were found to have a 2.57-fold higher risk of liver cirrhosis. Additionally, low interdaily stability a measure of circadian rhythm consistency increased the risk of gangrene by 2.61 times.