Many aspects contribute to longevity or how long you will live. This may include genetics, lifestyle factors such as exercise and nutrition, and any underlying medical conditions. But one aspect of longevity that usually gets overlooked is sleep. We spend about a third of our life snoozing, yet we don’t always consider how this affects things like lifespan. getting less than the recommended amount of sleep can affect lifespan, including a 2017 review which found people who got less than seven hours of sleep each night were at increased risk of all-cause mortality. Moreover, it’s not just how you sleep as you get older—the impacts of sleep on health can start when you are a young adult and in middle age as well. As you get older, sleep hygiene remains important and can impact lifespan. “In older adults, sleep patterns naturally change, often becoming lighter and more fragmented,” Dr. Bashir. “Adequate sleep in old age helps preserve cognitive function, reduces the risk of chronic conditions, and enhances quality of life, all of which contribute to increased longevity. Keep a regular sleep-wake schedule, which means going to sleep and, more importantly, waking up at the same time—yes, even on weekends Create a soothing bedtime routine, which can include things like reading or taking a warm bath, both of which signal to your body that it’s time to wind down Do an End-of-Day Brain Dump “Do a brain dump before bed to get all the to-do’s managed so you don’t wonder about them all night,” Dr. Beachkofsky recommends. She suggests also checking your calendar before you hit the sheets to ensure there are no surprises you’ll happen to remember at 2 a.m. Try not to look at the clock frequently, such as when you wake up in the middle of the night or when you are falling asleep Don’t sleep with the TV on; use a nightlight and/or a sound machine instead. Don’t stress—reduce it in your life as much as possible, as cortisol, the stress hormone, promotes wakefulness
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Friday, October 10, 2025