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Finnish study on sleep and professional longevity

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2026-08-25 00:54 UTC → 2026-09-01 01:41 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Research from the University of Turku in Finland indicates that sleep patterns in individuals aged 50 to 68 significantly influence professional longevity. Analyzing data from over 76,000 participants, researchers led by Saana Myllyntausta found that sleep quality is a key determinant of career duration. Findings published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine suggest that individuals without sleep disorders can expect to work an average of 13 years and 5 months starting from age 50. However, sleep disturbances can reduce this expectancy. Moderate disturbances, occurring two to four nights a week, result in a reduction of approximately five months, while severe disturbances—occurring five or more nights a week—can reduce expected working life by about eight months. The study also highlights that excessive sleep is linked to shorter labor market participation. Those sleeping nine hours or more per night showed a reduction in workforce participation of between nine and 30 months compared to those sleeping seven to 8.5 hours. ~~Socioeconomic factors, including education and job type, further influence these outcomes. Researchers observed significant gaps in~~ Demographic variations were noted, with professional women without sleep disturbances exhibiting the longest working life ~~expectancy,~~ expectancy at nearly 14 years. In contrast, men in routine jobs with ~~differences ranging from 17 months~~ severe sleep disturbances recorded the shortest expectancy at nearly 12 years. Beyond workforce participation, researchers emphasize that sleep structure is critical for cognitive health. While deep sleep (N3 phase) naturally decreases with age, maintaining adequate slow-wave sleep is essential for memory, as a reduction in this phase is linked to ~~five years between various demographic and professional groups.~~ an increased risk of dementia. Experts suggest that fragmented sleep may impair mental performance more significantly than total hours slept.

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