Scientists Say You Need Long Sleep for Healthy Aging.

The research, which included 3,306 participants aged 45 and older, recorded their sleep habits in 2011, 2013, and 2015 and assessed their health after five years. The data, analyzed by a team from Wenzhou Medical University in China, showed that those who slept at least seven hours per night had noticeably better health as they transitioned beyond early adulthood.

In the published article, researchers wrote: "Healthy aging was assessed in 2020 and defined as being free from major chronic diseases, having no physical impairments, maintaining high cognitive function, good mental health, and actively engaging in life."

At the end of the study period, only 455 participants (13.8%) met all criteria for healthy aging. Among them, 307 individuals (about two-thirds) consistently slept more than seven hours per night.

Participants were categorized into five groups based on their sleep patterns over four years:

• Stable Long (regular 8–9 hours of sleep)

• Stable Normal (regular 7–8 hours)

• Declining (from an average of over 8 hours to less than 6)

• Increasing (from an average of less than 6 hours to over 8)

• Stable Short (regular 5–6 hours)

The chances of healthy aging were significantly higher in the Stable Long (17.1%) and Stable Normal (18.1%) groups compared to the Declining (9.9%), Increasing (10.6%), and Stable Short (8.8%) groups.

Researchers noted: "Compared to participants with stable long sleep, those with consistently short sleep and an increasing sleep trajectory had 36% and 52% lower chances of healthy aging, respectively." Participants with a declining sleep pattern also had lower chances of healthy aging, but the statistical significance was uncertain due to an insufficient number of participants for a conclusive result.