Sleep quality more important than duration to stay healthy, research suggests
The IndependentSign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Professor Neil Walsh, of Liverpool John Moores University, said his team’s findings – published in the journal Sleep – “change the way we should think about sleep and health”. Sleeping well can trump sleeping long in terms of our immunity to illness Professor Neil Walsh The lead researcher told the PA news agency: “Sleep is important for mental and physical health, including our ability to fight infection. That is an extremely useful message in our hectic world where sleep is often sacrificed for other pursuits Professor Neil Walsh Their work involved tracking the participants’ sleep patterns and health in the weeks before training and after joining the military, where they had to follow strict wake-up routines. However, the researchers found that sleep restriction only increased infection among those reporting poor sleep quality, while good sleep quality protected against respiratory illnesses, despite the shorter duration.