Does Going to Bed Early and Waking Up Early Really Make You Live Longer? Science Tells You the Answer!
Does Going to Bed Early and Waking Up Early Really Make You Live Longer? Science Tells You the Answer!We often hear the advice Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. But can early to bed and early to rise really make us live longer? In recent years, numerous large-scale studies have revealed a close relationship between sleep duration, sleep regularity, and lifespan, providing answers to this question
Does Going to Bed Early and Waking Up Early Really Make You Live Longer? Science Tells You the Answer!
We often hear the advice Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. But can early to bed and early to rise really make us live longer? In recent years, numerous large-scale studies have revealed a close relationship between sleep duration, sleep regularity, and lifespan, providing answers to this question.
I. Marathon Sleep Research: Going to Bed Early and Waking Up Early May Be the Secret to Longevity
1. Large-scale UK Study: Sleep Duration and Risk of Death
Two large-scale sleep studies in the UK, spanning nearly 40 years, tracked the sleep habits and health conditions of hundreds of thousands of people. The research results show that: People who sleep for 6-8 hours each night and maintain an early wake-up routine have the lowest risk of death.
This seems to confirm the folk wisdom of "early to bed and early to rise", implying that going to bed early and waking up early might indeed be one of the keys to longevity.
2. 78-Year-Old Mr. Li: Regular Sleep Schedule, Healthy and Long-Lived
Cardiologist Dr. Zhao Ming treats Mr. Li, a 78-year-old patient who sleeps for 7 hours every night and never stays in bed. Mr. Li tells Dr. Zhao that he always feels tired the next day if he stays up late. He believes that regular sleep is key to maintaining good health and can even extend lifespan.
3. 97-Year Old Ms. Zhang: Early to Bed and Early to Rise, Vigorous and Healthy
97-year-old Ms. Zhang has maintained a consistent sleep schedule of waking up at 6 am and going to bed at 9 pm all her life. She eats well, sleeps well, and is healthy. Everyone says she is "as strong as an ox."
4. 35-Year-Old Mr. Wang: The Dangers of Staying Up Late Cannot Be Ignored
In contrast, many modern young people are "night owls" who reverse their day and night. Mr. Wang, a 35-year-old programmer, often stays up until 2 am and wakes up at noon the next day. He jokingly calls himself a "coder saving the world", but ignores the harm that staying up late brings to his body.
Long-term irregular sleep patterns have led to a significant weight gain for Mr. Wang, and his blood pressure and cholesterol have also entered the high-risk zone. Doctors repeatedly urge him to change his habit of staying up late, but he always makes excuses. It wasn't until he recently discovered mild fatty liver that he realized the importance of health and made up his mind to change his lifestyle.
5. Another Study Targeting Middle-Aged and Elderly Women: Moderate Sleep Duration Leads to Longer Lifespan
A 10-year survey of over 90,000 middle-aged and elderly women also shows that those with moderate sleep duration and regular sleep schedules live longer.
6. IT Engineer Mr. Zhang: Lack of Sleep, Vicious Cycle
Since becoming a working professional, IT engineer Mr. Zhang has been getting less and less sleep, often working overtime until the early hours. He feels drowsy during the day and can't sleep at night, creating a vicious cycle. During a physical exam, he was diagnosed with fatty liver. The doctor warned him that if he continues like this, he might need to be admitted to the ICU before he turns 40.
Mr. Zhang woke up to this reality and started controlling his work hours, going to bed before 11 pm and waking up at 7 am every morning. After just one month, his mental state has significantly improved.
II. Study on Chinese Elderly: Going to Bed Early and Waking Up Early May Extend Lifespan by 3-7 Years
1. Research by Dr. Juejue, Attending Physician at Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Going to Bed Early and Waking Up Early Extends Average Lifespan by 3.7 Years
Dr. Juejue conducted a 15-year follow-up study on 1,000 elderly people over 65 years old. The research results show that those who go to bed before 11 pm and wake up around 7 am, the "early to bed and early to rise group", live an average of 3.7 years longer than "night owls" who stay up late.
2. 86-Year-Old Mr. Wang: Going to Bed Early and Waking Up Early Improves Health
Mr. Wang, an 86-year-old man, worked night shifts in a factory during his youth and often reversed his day and night, gradually deteriorating his health. After retiring, he started learning to work during the day and rest at night, going to bed before 10 pm and waking up naturally around 6 am. Over several years, his previously diagnosed hypertension, heart disease, and other ailments miraculously improved.
3. 75-Year-Old Ms. Li: The Dangers of Staying Up Late Are Urgent
Ms. Li, a 75-year-old woman, often stays up late at night, playing mahjong until dawn. Over time, her blood sugar level has skyrocketed, and diabetic complications have made her anxious and sleepless. Doctors warn her that if she doesn't change her habit, she might not survive the next Chinese New Year.
4. 72-Year-Old Mr. Zhao: Regular Sleep Schedule Controls Blood Pressure
Mr. Zhao, a 72-year-old retired teacher, was diagnosed with hypertension shortly after retirement and couldn't sleep soundly at night. Doctors advised him to drink a cup of warm milk before bed, go to bed before 11 pm, and wake up at 7 am every morning. After just one month, Mr. Zhao's blood pressure stabilized.
5. Regular Sleep Schedule for Elderly, Healthy and Long-Lived
Elderly people who maintain regular sleep schedules ensure proper metabolic and endocrine functions, contributing to longevity. Especially waking up early, it allows them to make full use of sunlight, go outdoors for activities, and benefit both physical and mental health.
III. Expert Interpretation: Why Do People Who Sleep Less and Wake Up Early Live Longer?
1. Regular Sleep Schedule, Precise Tuning of the Biological Clock
Our biological clock prefers a rhythmic pattern, allowing endocrine, metabolic, and other functions to operate normally. Those who go to bed early and wake up early are usually more disciplined and have a healthier lifestyle.
2. 78-Year-Old Mr. Li: Regular Sleep Schedule, Healthy and Long-Lived
78-year-old veteran Mr. Li wakes up at 5 am, eats breakfast at 6 am, and then goes out for an hour of exercise every day. This sleep routine has been consistent for decades, without fail. Mr. Li is in high spirits, and his blood pressure, blood sugar, and other indicators are all normal.
3. Early Rising Synchronizes Biological Clock, Improves State
Human hormones, body temperature, etc., all have diurnal rhythms, changing with the rising and setting of the sun. Waking up early is better for resetting the clock, getting sufficient sunlight, which is beneficial for vitamin D synthesis and can also increase melatonin secretion at night, thereby ensuring quality sleep at night.
4. Early Riser, Optimistic and Positive
Dr. Tian Lei, a psychology PhD, discovered that early risers are generally more positive and optimistic than night owls. She observed that happy-go-lucky people in the office are often early risers, full of energy, and good at social interaction. Waking up early provides ample time for eating breakfast, exercising, and basking in the sun, which helps cultivate positive emotions.
5. Mr. Zhou: Going to Bed Early and Waking Up Early Improves Health
Mr. Zhou used to be a night owl. After graduating from college, he partied every night, was drowsy during the day, and his weight once ballooned to 200 pounds. It wasn't until he was diagnosed with fatty liver during a physical exam last year that he made up his mind to start going to bed early and waking up early, combined with a light diet and moderate exercise. He lost three laps in less than half a year.
6. Sleep is Not About Quantity, but Quality
Everyone has different sleep needs, but all should maintain regularity and avoid excessive sleep. You can observe your condition and find the best sleep range. Regular and moderate sleep is the key to a healthy and long life.
IV. Find Your Exclusive "Sleep Comfort Zone" for a Health Boost
1. Follow Your Biological Clock, Find Your Optimal State
Some people are naturally night owls who stay up late and wake up late, while others are "larks" who prefer to go to bed early and wake up early. The key is to follow your biological clock and find your optimal state.
2. Mr. Li in the IT Industry: Finding the Right Sleep Rhythm
Mr. Li, who works in the IT industry, is accustomed to going to bed after midnight and waking up at noon the next day, which once caused him distress. Based
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