Brain HealthMore REM Sleep Tied to Lower Risk of 83 Diseases in 95,000-Person Study
A study of over 95,000 UK Biobank participants wearing wrist accelerometers for seven days found that more REM sleep was associated with lower risk of 83 diseases, including dementia, heart failure, and Parkinson's disease. Greater deep sleep was linked to lower risk of 7 conditions, including type 2 diabetes and major depression. Sleeping fewer than 5 hours raised risk for 37 conditions, while 6 to 8 hours per night appeared optimal. Sleep irregularity and frequent nighttime waking were tied to higher anxiety and substance use disorder risk. Though observational, the findings suggest sleep stage quality — not just total duration — is a powerful predictor of long-term health and disease prevention across dozens of conditions.
