Sleep is a fundamental topic when we talk about health, and as such, various studies are conducted and new discoveries emerge. A recent finding released by researchers from Stanford University (USA) and the Danish Center for Sleep Medicine shows that nighttime interruptions during sleep can increase the risk of death by 29% and reduce life expectancy by nearly nine years.
According to pulmonologist and Sleep Medicine Specialist, Jessica Polese, this study found that sleep fragmentation was the factor contributing to mortality risk. ‘Unlike insomnia, where a person stays awake for a certain period during the night, fragmentation occurs when one wakes up several times at night without remembering,’ says the doctor.
“An individual may have some sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, bruxism, or restless legs syndrome that promote these micro-awakenings, which people do not remember. Additionally, they may be dreaming or making some movement that causes them to wake up but then go back to sleep; this is sleep fragmentation, when one wakes up for less than a minute, in fact,” emphasizes Jessica.
In the study, researchers first analyzed the ‘sleep age’ attributed to various factors such as breathing, heart rate, and nighttime interruptions. Dr. Jessica explains that from there, those who had a more advanced sleep age compared to their actual age have an increased risk of mortality, according to the study.
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