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Optimal Sleep Duration

What may be the optimal number of hours to sleep on average every night to maximize health and longevity?

November 26, 2010 |
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Supplementary Info

Optimal Sleep Duration, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

Sources Cited

Ikehara S, Iso H, Date C, Kikuchi S, Watanabe Y, Wada Y, Inaba Y, Tamakoshi A; JACC Study Group. Association of sleep duration with mortality from cardiovascular disease and other causes for Japanese men and women: the JACC study. Sleep. 2009 Mar;32(3):295-301.

Acknowledgements

Image thanks to anemoneprojectors (getting through the backlog).

Transcript

But what is “enough,” and is more, better? Just this year researchers found what appears to be the magic number of hours to sleep, on average, every night to minimize risk of cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Sleep fewer hours and mortality goes up; sleep any longer, mortality goes up.
To maximize health and longevity, is the optimal sleep duration slide> 6 hours? 7 hours? 8 hours? 9 hours? Or 10 hours? And for those of you thinking, what about 12 hours? No.
Well, It’s not 6. And it’s not 10. It’s not 8 either. The optimum amount of sleep to get on average every night to live longer is 7 hours of sleep, according to this important new study this year.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. And check out the prequel, "Sleep & Immunity." Also, there are 1,449 other subjects covered in the rest of my videos--please feel free to explore them as well!

Check out my associated blog post, Eating To Extend Our Lifespan.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

    Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. And check out the prequel, “Sleep & Immunity.” Also, there are 1,449 other subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them as well!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/amylee83/ amylee83

    Hi Dr. Greger!
    I recently had a sleep study done and was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea and severe periodic limb movement disorder. I am 28, of normal weight, and do not want to sleep with a CPAP machine for the rest of my life, so I was wondering if you knew of any nutrition based or alternative treatments for these disorders. I do know that anemia is connected with periodic limb movement and right now my ferritin is 37 (started at 12). I’ve heard that ferritin levels between 70 and 90 are optimal. Do you know anything about this?

    Thanks!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/thatsleepguy/ Thatsleepguy

    Hello Dr. Greger. I am a sleep therapist and have a question. Did this study cited in the video test subjects at differnt ages. We currently teach different total hours of sleep needed depending on age. HGH in children is better utilized and produced during Delta sleep. (conitued research has shown me I know nothing*gulp*)

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/ranchita/ ranchita

    I wonder about the age variable to!

  • Matthew Ciuccio

    This is great information. That give me 17 hours a day to other great stuff. Thanks Doctor!

  • iVegan, CPT

    This is very helpful. Recently up to 12 hours of sleep can be beneficial. Thank you for clearing that up!

  • iVegan, CPT

    Dr. G. I have a question about optimal duration for people who do rigorous exercise. If one eats vegan drinks enough water and does everything they are supposed to do nutritionally how much does the variable of intense rigorous exercise and sort about 5 times a week affect the equation. Is 7 hours still the magic number?

  • http://www.facebook.com/jan.carrie.steven Jan Carrie Steven

    I just can’t “buy it” – unless there is a nap involved. There has to be a lot of factors involved including quality of sleep, time of the year, etc.

  • greyjaybee

    As someone who wakes up around every 2 or three hours at night, does this mean I’m doomed ?

  • LizB

    How do we know that the sleep duration causes morbidity rather than that it is simply associated with it? Could it be that people who are unwell already, though without knowing it, sleep longer?

    • http://www.DonForresterMD.com/ Don Forrester MD

      As you mentioned there are many variables and the study just provides correlational data so you have to be careful when attributing a causal relationship. Based on the article and others cited it appears that regular sleep of 7 – 8 hours duration is best when studying populations. However, I’m sure there are variations between individuals and their individual situations.

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