Summary: A new nationwide analysis shows that getting fewer than seven hours of sleep a night is one of the strongest predictors of shorter life expectancy across U.S. counties. Sleep sufficiency outperformed other behavioral factors—including diet, exercise, and loneliness—with only smoking showing a stronger association.
The findings reveal a consistent year-to-year correlation between sleep duration and lifespan in nearly every state. Researchers say the results underscore the urgent need to treat sleep as a core pillar of long-term health rather than a luxury.
Key Facts
- Sleep Outranks Other Factors: Insufficient sleep predicted shorter life expectancy more strongly than diet, exercise, or loneliness.
- Nationwide Pattern: Correlations appeared across almost every U.S. state from 2019–2025.
- Health Impact: Sleep affects cardiovascular, immune, and brain function, offering multiple pathways to longevity.
Source: Oregon Health and Science University
A good night’s sleep is more than a luxury: New research from Oregon Health & Science University suggests that insufficient sleep may shorten your life.
The study published today in the journal SLEEP Advances.
Researchers tapped a vast, nationwide database looking for survey trends associated with average life expectancy county by county. They compared county-level data about average life expectancy with comprehensive survey data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2019 and 2025.
As a behavioral driver for life expectancy, sleep stood out more than diet, more than exercise, more than loneliness — indeed, more than any other factor except smoking.
“I didn’t expect it to be so strongly correlated to life expectancy,” said senior author Andrew McHill, Ph.D., associate professor in the OHSU School of Nursing, the OHSU School of Medicine and OHSU’s Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences.
“We’ve always thought sleep is important, but this research really drives that point home: People really should strive to get seven to nine hours of sleep if at all possible.”
The research was conducted primarily by graduate students in the Sleep, Chronobiology and Health Laboratory of the OHSU School of Nursing.
Scientists have broadly understood the importance of sufficient sleep for a variety of positive health outcomes. However, McHill and co-authors said they were surprised by the strength of the connection to life expectancy. The effect of insufficient sleep swamped the impact of diet and exercise as a predictor of life expectancy.
“It’s intuitive and makes a lot of sense, but it was still striking to see it materialize so strongly in all of these models,” McHill said.
“I’m a sleep physiologist who understands the health benefits of sleep, but the strength of the association between sleep sufficiency and life expectancy was remarkable to me.”
Although previous research has shown broadly that lack of adequate sleep leads to higher mortality risk, the new research is the first to reveal year-to-year correlations between sleep and life expectancy for every U.S. state.
For the purpose of modeling, the CDC defined sufficient sleep as at least seven hours a night, which is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.
Researchers found clear correlations in each year and in most U.S. states between sleep and life expectancy.
The statistical analysis did not delve into reasons why inadequate sleep appears to shorten life expectancy, but McHill noted that sleep influences cardiovascular health, the immune system and brain function.
“This research shows that we need to prioritize sleep at least as much as we do to what we eat or how we exercise,” he said. “Sometimes, we think of sleep as something we can set aside and maybe put off until later or on the weekend.
“Getting a good night’s sleep will improve how you feel but also how long you live.”
In addition to McHill, co-authors include lead author Kathryn E. McAuliffe, B.S., Madeline R. Wary, B.S., Gemma V. Pleas, B.A., Kiziah E.S. Pugmire, B.S., Courtney Lysiak, B.A., Nathan F. Dieckmann, Ph.D., and Brooke M. Shafer, Ph.D.
Funding: The research was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, under Award numbers R01HL156948, R01HL169317 and T32HL083808; the OHSU School of Nursing; and by the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences by way of funding from the Division of Consumer and Business Services of the state of Oregon (ORS 656.630).
Key Questions Answered:
A: It is one of the top behavioral predictors, surpassed only by smoking in its association with shorter lifespan.
A: Seven hours or more per night, consistent with national sleep guidelines.
A: Sleep influences cardiovascular health, immune function, metabolic processes, and brain health, all of which affect long-term disease risk.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this sleep and life span research news
Author: Erik Robinson
Source: Oregon Health and Science University
Contact: Erik Robinson – Oregon Health and Science University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Sleep insufficiency and life expectancy at the state-county level in the united states, 2019-2025” by Andrew McHill et al. SLEEP Advances
Abstract
Sleep insufficiency and life expectancy at the state-county level in the united states, 2019-2025
Study Objectives
Millions of Americans obtain insufficient sleep daily, yet it is unknown the relationship between sleep and life expectancy by county across the United States.
Methods
Using the 2019-2025 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys, we tested the associations between insufficient sleep and life expectancy at the county level while controlling for common adverse health behaviors (i.e., smoking, diet, and inactivity) across multiple years (2019-2025).
Results
Insufficient sleep was significantly negatively correlated with life expectancy in most states from 2019-2025, such that lower sleep insufficiency was associated with longer life expectancy. Moreover, sleep insufficiency was significantly associated with lower life expectancy when controlling for traditional predictors of mortality, with only smoking displaying a stronger association.
Conclusions
These findings demonstrate the importance of adequate sleep in all communities regardless of income level, access to health care services, or geographical classification.
