Sleep is more important for longevity than diet, exercise, social ties, study says

Written by Corrie Pelc on December 12, 2025 — Fact checked by Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph.D.Sleep is possibly the most important factor for longevity, research shows. Image credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty Images

• Insomnia is a disorder characterized by experiencing difficulty falling or staying asleep, or waking up too early. 
• Past studies have linked inadequate sleep to several health conditions, all of which can negatively impact a person’s life expectancy. 
• A new study found that insufficient sleep had a more significant impact on decreased life expectancy than other lifestyle factors, such as diet, physical activity, and social isolation. 

If you struggle getting a good night’s sleep, you’re not alone. Researchers estimate that about 16% of the world’s population lives with insomnia, while a recent survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that six out of every 10 adult Americans report they don’t get enough sleep. 

Past studies have linked inadequate sleep to several health conditions that can negatively impact a person’s quality of life and life expectancy, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal issues, and dementia. 

“Sleep plays a vital role in nearly every biological process within our body, yet it is still one behavior that I think we commonly take for granted,” Andrew McHill, PhD, associate professor and director of the Sleep, Chronobiology, and Health Laboratory in the School of Nursing at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), told Medical News Today.

“It is something that is easy to put off until the weekend or deprioritize based on work or social events, but getting shorter sleep truly has ramifications for our health and wellbeing,” McHill added.

He is the senior author of a new study recently published in the journal Sleep Advances, which found that insufficient sleep had a more significant impact on decreased life expectancy than other lifestyle factors, such as diet, physical activityTrusted Source, and social isolation.