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Sleep Duration, Morbidity, and Mortality

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Sleep Disorders Medicine

Abstract

Dozens of epidemiologic studies spanning over 50 years have established that both short sleep (<6 h of self-reported sleep) and long sleep (≥8 h of self-reported sleep) have been associated with increased mortality and multiple morbidities. Consistently, long sleep has been associated with greater risks than short sleep. Although epidemiologic studies cannot completely prove causality, the magnitude and consistency of evidence makes a strong case for causality. Randomized controlled trials are recognized as the best evidence for causality. Consistent with epidemiologic evidence, experimental sleep restriction has had hazardous effects, but studies have been limited predominately to profound short-term sleep deprivation under restrictive laboratory conditions which provoke sleepiness. Studies involving extending sleep in short sleepers via spending more time in bed (TIB) or hypnotics have not generally produced positive effects. Experimental restriction of sleep in long sleepers has been well tolerated. Further experimental studies are needed. Since sleep duration is to a considerable extent heritable, a genetic strategy based on Mendelian randomization offers a new pathway to exploring causality.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Shawn D. Youngstedt

  2. School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, USA

    Shawn D. Youngstedt

  3. Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, USA

    Shawn D. Youngstedt

  4. Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Daniel F. Kripke

  5. Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA

    Shelli James

Authors
  1. Shawn D. Youngstedt
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  2. Daniel F. Kripke
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  3. Shelli James
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shawn D. Youngstedt .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Graduate Medical Education, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, USA

    Sudhansu Chokroverty

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Youngstedt, S.D., Kripke, D.F., James, S. (2017). Sleep Duration, Morbidity, and Mortality. In: Chokroverty, S. (eds) Sleep Disorders Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6578-6_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6578-6_31

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