Too Much or Too Little Sleep Leads to Increased Risk of Mortality: Study Finds - Video

Published On 2025-08-22T08:30:00+05:30 | Updated On 22 Aug 2025 2:54 PM IST

Overview

A recent Korean study published in Scientific Reports reveals that prolonged sleep duration of more than eight hours is linked to increased risk of all-cause mortality—especially in men with regular sleep patterns and women with irregular ones. The research highlights the significance of both sleep duration and regularity as crucial factors in developing effective, personalized sleep health strategies.

Sleep is vital for maintaining physiological and psychological balance. Conducted by researchers from Hanyang University Medical Center, the study analyzed data from over 9,000 adults in the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study, spanning both rural and urban populations. Participants were grouped based on self-reported sleep duration (less than seven hours, seven to eight hours, or more than eight hours) and sleep regularity (regular or irregular). Researchers tracked their health outcomes over more than 15 years, examining all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular events.

The study recorded 1,095 deaths and 811 cardiovascular events. After adjusting for various health and lifestyle factors, findings showed that individuals sleeping more than eight hours per night had significantly higher mortality risk compared to those sleeping seven to eight hours. Interestingly, a non-significant trend toward increased mortality was also noted in those with short sleep duration. Irregular sleep patterns alone showed only a modest, non-significant increase in risk.

However, combined effects were more revealing. “Adults who consistently maintain a particular sleep-wake timing and sleep for seven to eight hours daily are at lower risk of all-cause mortality,” the researchers concluded. In particular, men with short irregular sleep or long regular sleep, and women with long irregular sleep, faced the highest risks.

These findings emphasize that sleep health interventions must consider not only sleep duration, but also regularity, age, and sex.

Reference: Park SJ. (2025). The impact of sleep health on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in the general population. Scientific Reports.

Speakers

Dr. Bhumika Maikhuri

Dr Bhumika Maikhuri is an orthodontist with 2 years of clinical experience. She is also working as a medical writer and anchor at Medical Dialogues. She has completed her BDS from Dr D.Y. Patil Medical College and Hospital and MDS from Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences. She has a few publications and patents to her credit. Her diverse background in clinical dentistry and academic research uniquely positions her to contribute meaningfully to our team.