Scientists have linked poor sleep to the risk of more than 90 diseases

Sleep disorders can increase the risk of dozens of chronic diseases. This is stated in a study published in the journal Science Daily, which Izvestia reviewed on August 1.

Scientists have stated that irregular sleep, especially falling asleep late, is associated with a higher risk of developing 172 diseases, including cirrhosis of the liver, gangrene and circulatory system disorders.

"Our results highlight the underappreciated importance of regular sleep. It's time to expand the definition of quality sleep — it's not only about duration, but also about stability," said the head of the study, Professor Shengfeng Wang.

The analysis showed that more than 20% of the risk for 92 diseases can be attributed to poor sleep regularity. For example, falling asleep after 00:30 increases the risk of cirrhosis by 2.57 times. A decrease in the stability of the circadian rhythm increases the risk of gangrene by 2.61 times. These indicators are based on objective data from the actimeters, and not on the subjective assessments of the subjects.

The study also challenges the popular thesis about the dangers of "long sleep." According to objective data, only one disease out of 172 showed a weak association with prolonged sleep of more than 9 hours. At the same time, about 22% of people who were considered "long sleepers" actually spent less than 6 hours sleeping. This indicates a widespread confusion between bed time and actual sleep duration.

Expert Maria Molostvova spoke on July 21 about the impact of sleep quality on brain health. She noted that chronic sleep disorders can cause serious harm to brain function, including an increased risk of cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases.

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