Sleep quality and REM stages linked to lower chronic disease risk

REM sleep chronic disease risk sleep quality longevity sleep stages

A large-scale study published in PLOS Medicine has identified a significant link between specific sleep stages and the risk of various chronic diseases. Analyzing data from over 95,000 UK Biobank participants using wearable wrist-based sensors, researchers found that increased Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is associated with a lower risk of 83 different conditions, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Deep sleep was also found to be protective against seven specific conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. The study suggests that sleep quality and structure are as vital as total duration. While 6 to 8 hours of sleep was identified as the optimal range for minimizing disease risk, sleeping fewer than 5 hours was linked to higher risks for numerous health issues.

In a separate analysis by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), sleep duration was found to be a stronger predictor of longevity than diet or physical activity, with only smoking and obesity showing stronger associations with reduced life expectancy. Experts emphasize that maintaining consistent sleep routines and avoiding electronic devices before bed can help mitigate insomnia and improve sleep architecture.

Entities

Oregon Health & Science University · PLOS Medicine · UK Biobank

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] The study followed participants for a median of nearly nine years. www.hna.de · www.mannheim24.de · www.ruhr24.de · www.bild.de
[● 3 SOURCES] Six to eight hours of sleep per night was associated with the lowest risk for 69 diseases. www.hna.de · www.mannheim24.de · www.ruhr24.de
[● 4 SOURCES] The study analyzed data from 95,559 participants from the UK Biobank. www.hna.de · www.mannheim24.de · www.ruhr24.de · www.bild.de
[○ 1 SOURCE] Increased deep sleep is associated with a lower risk for seven specific diseases, including Type 2 diabetes and depression. www.bild.de
[○ 1 SOURCE] Sleeping less than five hours per night is linked to an increased risk for 37 diseases. www.bild.de
[○ 1 SOURCE] Increased REM sleep is associated with a lower risk for 83 different diseases. www.bild.de
[● 4 SOURCES] Participants used wrist-worn motion sensors for seven days to track sleep metrics. www.hna.de · www.mannheim24.de · www.ruhr24.de · www.bild.de
[● 4 SOURCES] A study published in PLOS Medicine found a link between sleep patterns and disease risk. www.hna.de · www.mannheim24.de · www.ruhr24.de · www.bild.de