In a new study, researchers found deep sleep is essential for good health, and too little of it may shorten your life.
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is when dreams occur and the body repairs itself from the ravages of the day.
The researchers found for every 5% reduction in REM sleep, mortality rates increase 13% to 17% among older and middle-aged adults.
The research was conducted by a team at Stanford University.
Numerous studies have linked insufficient sleep with significant health consequences.
Yet, many people ignore the signs of sleep problems or don’t allow enough time to get adequate sleep.
In the study, the team included more than 2,600 men, average age 76, who were followed for a median of 12 years.
They also collected data on nearly 1,400 men and women, average age 52, who were part of another study and were followed for a median of 21 years.
They found poor REM sleep was tied to early death from any cause as well as death from cardiovascular and other diseases. REM sleep’s links to mortality were similar in both groups.
The team says when people sleep, they go through different stages to include REM sleep. REM describes the eye movements during this stage and is also the state associated with when people have dreams.
This study shows that it is not just total sleep time that may be important, but assuring the right balance of the different stages of sleep.
The team says neurologists need to look for conditions affecting patients, such as obstructive sleep apnea, that can reduce REM, and doctors should also be aware that certain medications they prescribe can reduce REM.
One author of the study is Eileen Leary. She is a senior manager of clinical research at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.
The study is published in JAMA Neurology.
Copyright © 2020 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
