The study reveals that there are four main patterns and this has long-term effects
Everyone knows that sleeping well every night is important for your health. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can increase the risk of several conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
Although sleep is a necessity for everyone, not everyone sleeps the same. In fact, researchers at Pennsylvania State University concluded that there are four main sleep patterns, and these characteristics can help predict a person’s long-term health. The data was published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicineand published in Medical news today.
Why study sleep patterns
According to Professor Soomi Lee, lead author of this study, better understanding how sleep affects our general health is fundamental because it allows us to consider it a modifiable factor for future prevention strategies and interventions.
“Research, including our findings, consistently links poor sleep to a host of adverse health outcomes, ranging from increased risk of depression, chronic pain, cardiovascular disease, to cognitive decline,” the researcher said. Medical news today. “Sleep, a fundamental daily behavior, has significant potential: if we improve our sleep patterns daily, the cumulative effect on our health cannot be underestimated.”
A study published in May 2017 found that sleep disorders have major undesirable short- and long-term health consequences. Research presented in 2023 revealed that adults who adopt eight healthy habits, including good sleep hygiene, into their 40s can live an average of 23 to 24 years longer than those who don’t adopt them.
Four main sleep patterns
For the current study, Lee and his team used data collected from approximately 3,700 participants in the Midlife Study in the United States (Midus). The researchers had access to each participant’s sleep habits and chronic health details at two different points in time, 10 years apart. Through this data, scientists were able to identify four different sleep patterns:
– Good sleepers, who have the best sleep habits across all data points.
– Nappers, who mostly sleep well but take frequent daytime naps.
– Weekend sleepers, who sleep irregularly on weekdays and sleep more on weekends and holidays.
– Sleepers with insomnia, who have sleep problems such as taking a long time to fall asleep, short sleep duration and increased tiredness during the day.
What are the most common sleep patterns?
The researchers reported that more than half of the study participants fell into the insomniac or napping groups.
Through the study results, scientists found that those classified as sleepers with insomnia were significantly more likely to develop chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and depression, over the course of 10 years.
It is recommended that individuals with these characteristics consult a healthcare professional for appropriate evaluation and treatment.
Insomnia increases the risk of diseases
The findings also revealed that being an insomniac sleeper at any time over a 10-year period significantly increased the likelihood of developing multiple chronic health conditions, with an observed increase of up to 81%.
Sleepers with insomnia still showed a reduced likelihood of transitioning to other sleep patterns over the decade, suggesting a persistent challenge in returning to optimal sleep levels.
Finally, the study identified associations between insomnia pattern and socioeconomic factors, such as lower education levels and unemployment.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
