A new international study has found that irregular sleep habits may raise the risk of many serious health problems.
The research, published in the journal Health Data Science, looked at the sleep patterns of more than 88,000 adults from the UK Biobank and found connections between poor sleep behavior and 172 different diseases.
The study was led by scientists from Peking University and Army Medical University. They used data collected through wearable devices over an average period of almost seven years. These devices recorded how people slept, giving researchers a clear picture of their real sleep habits.
One of the most important findings was that sleep regularity—such as going to bed at the same time each night and having a stable daily rhythm—was strongly linked to health. Poor sleep regularity was connected to the risk of 92 diseases, each with more than 20% of its risk coming from bad sleep habits.
For example, people who regularly went to bed after 12:30 AM were over 2.5 times more likely to develop liver cirrhosis. Another finding showed that people with unstable daily routines had a 2.6 times higher chance of developing gangrene.
This study also questioned earlier claims that sleeping too long—nine or more hours a night—is harmful. In the past, some studies had linked long sleep to stroke and heart disease.
However, this new research found that long sleep was clearly linked to only one disease. One reason may be confusion between being in bed and actually sleeping. Nearly 22% of people who were classified as “long sleepers” actually slept less than six hours a night, meaning they were in bed but not getting real sleep.
Professor Shengfeng Wang, the senior author of the study, explained that people often think of sleep quality only in terms of how many hours they sleep. But this study shows that going to bed and waking up at consistent times may be just as important. “It’s time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration,” he said.
The research team also looked at how their results held up in other countries, including the United States, and found similar patterns. They believe that changes in inflammation in the body might be part of the reason why poor sleep affects so many diseases.
This large study adds to the growing evidence that sleep is more than just rest—it plays a key role in overall health. Future studies will try to understand whether poor sleep causes these diseases directly, and whether improving sleep patterns could help prevent or manage chronic illnesses.
For now, one thing is clear: sticking to a regular sleep schedule might help you stay healthier in the long run.
If you care about sleep health, please read studies about foods that help people sleep better, and Keto diet could improve cognitive function in people with sleep loss.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the natural supplements for sound sleep, and how your diet can improve sleep quality.
The study is published in Health Data Science.
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