REM sleep linked to lower risk of 83 diseases in large study

A study published in PLOS Medicine, led by Shengzhi Sun of Capital Medical University, has identified a significant link between specific sleep stages and long-term health outcomes. Analyzing data from 95,559 participants in the UK Biobank using a deep-learning tool called SleepNet, researchers tracked participants over a median period of approximately nine years.

The findings indicate that a higher proportion of REM (rapid-eye-movement) sleep is associated with a reduced risk for 83 out of 156 investigated conditions. These include neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinsonism, multiple sclerosis, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and coronary heart disease.

Additionally, the research noted that a higher proportion of deep sleep (N3 phase) was linked to a lower risk for seven specific conditions, including type 2 diabetes and severe depression.