There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.
Abstract
This review of the scientific literature examines the widely observed relationship
between sleep duration and mortality. As early as 1964, data have shown that 7-h sleepers
experience the lowest risks for all-cause mortality, whereas those at the shortest
and longest sleep durations have significantly higher mortality risks. Numerous follow-up
studies from around the world (e.g., Japan, Israel, Sweden, Finland, the United Kingdom)
show similar relationships. We discuss possible mechanisms, including cardiovascular
disease, obesity, physiologic stress, immunity, and socioeconomic status. We put forth
a social-ecological framework to explore five possible pathways for the relationship
between sleep duration and mortality, and we conclude with a four-point agenda for
future research.
Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.