“How Poor Sleep Affects Your Health and Life Expectancy”

If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep, you’re not alone. Researchers estimate that around 16% of people worldwide suffer from insomnia. In the United States, a recent survey by the National Sleep Foundation found that six out of 10 adults feel they don’t get enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep doesn’t just leave you feeling tired—it can seriously affect your health. Past studies have linked poor sleep to many conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety, digestive problems, and even dementia. “Sleep plays a vital role in nearly every process in our body, yet it’s one thing people often take for granted,” says Andrew McHill, PhD, associate professor and director of the Sleep, Chronobiology, and Health Laboratory at Oregon Health & Science University. He explains that sleep is often put off for work, social events, or saved for the weekend. “But getting too little sleep really does affect your health and wellbeing,” McHill adds. McHill is the senior author of a recent study published in the journal Sleep Advances. The study found that not getting enough sleep can have a bigger impact on life expectancy than other lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and social connections. For this research, his team analyzed data from the 2019-2025 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys. They wanted to see how insufficient sleep relates to life expectancy. McHill shares that the idea for the study started during a meeting with government officials. “Someone mentioned that if you want your research to make a real impact, you should look at how it affects people in your local community,” he recalls. That got him thinking: “How do people in Oregon sleep?” The team then examined the link between insufficient sleep and various health outcomes in Oregon. They found strong connections, particularly between poor sleep and shorter life expectancy. “It was somewhat surprising that the relationship was so strong,” McHill says. The takeaway is clear: sleep is not a luxury—it’s a critical part of living a long, healthy life. Prioritizing sleep can improve not just how you feel day-to-day but also your long-term health and longevity.

HEALTH