Runner’s World: A new study has found that sleeping badly can reduce your lifespan. But doing strenuous activity, including exercise such as running and going to the gym, may counter some of the adverse health effects.
The study analyzed information provided by 380,055 participants with an average age of 55.9 years. Participants reported their level of physical activity and five aspects of their sleep over the course of 11 years.
Researchers found that, compared to healthy sleepers, people with poor sleep had a 23 percent higher risk of premature death, a 39 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease, and a 13 percent higher risk of dying from cancer.
The data of people who slept well was then compared to those who slept poorly. Researchers discovered that, those who had the highest risk of dying from heart disease and cancer were those who had poor sleep – but also didn’t meet the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. That is, at least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or at least 75 to 150 minutes vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise.
