Less Than 6 Hours Of Sleep Could Be Deadly For Some, Says Study; Ways To Ensure A Good Night's Sleep

Adequate sleep is extremely necessary for proper health. It gives your body the required rest and gives you optimum energy to start the next day. Your sleeping pattern can affect a lot more than our energy levels. From body weight to the risk of heart diseases, many factors can be affected by lack of sleep. But there are some who are at a higher risk of early death and cancer due to less than 6 hours of sleep, according to a study. Those with high blood pressure, Type-2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke could be at high risk of cancer and early death when sleeping less than six hours a day, says a study.

"Our study suggests that achieving normal sleep may be protective for some people with these health conditions and risks," said lead study author Julio Fernandez-Mendoza from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey in Pennsylvania, US.

Also read: Lack Of Sleep Becoming A Public Health Crisis

"However, further research is needed to examine whether improving and increasing sleep through medical or behavioural therapies can reduce risk of early death," Fernandez-Mendoza said.

For the study, the researchers analysed the data of more than 1,600 adults who were categorised into two groups as having stage 2 high blood pressure or Type-2 diabetes and having heart disease or stroke.

Participants were studied in the sleep laboratory for one night and then researchers tracked their cause of death up to the end of 2016. The researchers found that of the 512 people who passed away, one-third died of heart disease or stroke and one-fourth died due to cancer.

People who had high blood pressure or diabetes and slept less than six hours had twice the increased risk of dying from heart disease or stroke, showed the findings published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Also read: This Is The Best Time To Exercise If You Want Good Sleep

People who had heart disease or stroke and slept less than six hours had three times the increased risk of dying from cancer. The increased risk of early death for people with high blood pressure or diabetes was negligible if they slept for more than six hours, the research showed.

"Short sleep duration should be included as a useful risk factor to predict the long-term outcomes of people with these health conditions and as a target of primary and specialised clinical practices," Fernandez-Mendoza said.

Some ways to ensure better sleep naturally include-

1. Do not consume caffeine few hours before bed time

2. Exercise regularly to stay fit and ensure better sleep

3. Keep all distraction away like mobile phones before going to sleep

4. Eat dinner few hours before sleeping

5. Fix your sleeping schedule so that you fall asleep at the same time each day

6. Try methods to stay stress free throughout the day

Also read: Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Insomnia

(With inputs from IANS)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.