April 18, 2024

BOSTON – It’s estimated that a third of people sleep too little or too much, putting them at risk for a whole host of medical problems including heart disease, obesity, cognitive decline, and early death. But exercise may help offset those effects.

In a new study, Chinese researchers placed activity trackers on more than 92,000 adults ages 40 and older to measure how much they slept and how much they moved. Those who were less physically active and slept less were 2.5 times more likely to die over 7 years.  But the risk essentially disappeared for the bad sleepers who engaged in moderate to vigorous activity for about 30 minutes every day.

They said exercise fights inflammation and metabolic disruptions that are associated with heart disease and other life-threatening conditions.