Knowledge Tree
Short sleep duration
Also known as: short sleep durations, SSD, low sleep duration
Facts (75)
Sources
Improvement in sleep duration was associated with higher cognitive ... aging-us.com Oct 20, 2020 32 facts
claimA transition from short sleep duration (SSD) to long sleep duration (LSD) was associated with lower global cognition scores, including on episodic memory, figure drawing, and TICS tests.
claimThe cognitive benefit observed in the 'Benefit 2' group (participants who slept <6 hours at baseline and improved their sleep duration) was approximately equivalent to 4-10 years of ageing.
measurementA history of stroke was reported by 2.7% of the less than 6 hours sleep group, 1.7% of the 6-8 hours group, and 2.2% of the greater than 8 hours group, with an overall prevalence of 2.1%.
measurementIn a 2011 study by J.E. Ferrie involving 5,431 British participants aged 45-69 from the Whitehall Study, a change to short sleep duration (SSD) was associated with lower cognition with a beta value of -1.90 to -0.49.
claimSleep duration was categorized into three groups: Short Sleep Duration (SSD) as <6 hours, Medium Sleep Duration (MSD) as 6-8 hours, and Long Sleep Duration (LSD) as >8 hours.
procedureFor subjects with Short Sleep Duration (SSD) in Wave 1, the study classifies change patterns as: 'Excessive' (if there was one wave with Long Sleep Duration), 'No change' (maintained SSD in two waves), 'Benefit 1' (maintained SSD in one wave and had Moderate Sleep Duration in another), and 'Benefit 2' (Moderate Sleep Duration in two waves).
claimShort or long sleep duration can disrupt the circadian rhythm.
claimShort or long sleep duration and the disruption of the circadian rhythm are risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia.
measurementThe mean Body Mass Index (BMI) of all participants was 23.4 (standard deviation 3.7), with the less than 6 hours sleep group at 23.0, the 6-8 hours group at 23.6, and the greater than 8 hours group at 23.2.
referenceA meta-analysis revealed an inverted-U-shaped association between sleep duration and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, where both short sleep duration (SSD) and long sleep duration (LSD) are associated with a higher risk compared to moderate sleep duration (MSD).
claimA transition from long sleep duration (LSD) to short sleep duration (SSD) was associated with lower episodic memory scores.
measurementThe mean age of all participants in the study was 59.1 years (standard deviation 9.8), with the less than 6 hours sleep group having a mean age of 61.0 years, the 6-8 hours group having a mean age of 58.1 years, and the greater than 8 hours group having a mean age of 59.7 years.
measurementA change from short sleep duration to long sleep duration is associated with lower global cognition scores (β=-0.94, P <0.001) in individuals aged 45 and older.
procedureFor subjects with Long Sleep Duration (LSD) in Wave 1, the study classifies change patterns as: 'Excessive' (if there was one wave with Short Sleep Duration), 'No change' (maintained LSD in the two waves), 'Benefit 1' (maintained LSD in one wave and had Moderate Sleep Duration in another), and 'Benefit 2' (Moderate Sleep Duration in two waves).
referenceThe study defines sleep duration categories as Short Sleep Duration (SSD), Moderate Sleep Duration (MSD), and Long Sleep Duration (LSD).
claimFor short sleepers, a consistent change to moderate sleep duration (MSD) was associated with high global cognition scores, equivalent to 4-10 years of cognitive ageing, with improvements in figure drawing and TICS domains.
claimFor participants identified as short sleepers (sleeping <6 hours) in Wave 1, a change in sleep duration of 2 or more hours in Wave 2 or Wave 3 was associated with lower global cognition scores.
measurementShort sleepers in Wave 1 demonstrated lower scores in the specific cognitive domains of episodic memory, figure drawing, and the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS) compared to moderate sleepers.
measurementA change from short sleep duration to moderate sleep duration is associated with better global cognition scores (β=0.54, P <0.01) in individuals aged 45 and older.
claimA change from low sleep duration (LSD) to moderate sleep duration (MSD) may restore the circadian rhythm and lead to improved cognitive function in study participants.
measurementThe prevalence of hypertension was 26.7% in the less than 6 hours sleep group, 22.9% in the 6-8 hours group, and 25.5% in the greater than 8 hours group, with an overall prevalence of 24.2%.
measurementThe effect of short sleep duration on global cognition scores was equivalent to being 5 to 9 years older compared to the moderate sleep-duration group.
measurementAmong participants who slept less than 6 hours at baseline, those in the 'Benefit 2' group had higher global cognition scores in Wave 3 compared to the 'No-change' group (β=0.55, P<0.01 for model 1; β=0.54, P<0.01 for model 2; β=0.38, P<0.05 for model 3).
measurementA change from long sleep duration to short sleep duration is associated with lower global cognition scores (β=-1.38, P <0.01) in individuals aged 45 and older.
measurementThe study categorized 15,216 participants into three sleep duration groups in Wave 1: less than 6 hours (n=4,453), 6 to 8 hours (n=9,508), and greater than 8 hours (n=1,255).
measurementThe use of tranquilizers was reported by 0.6% of the less than 6 hours sleep group, 0.2% of the 6-8 hours group, and 0.0% of the greater than 8 hours group, with an overall prevalence of 0.3%.
claimThe Whitehall Study did not obtain significant findings among people with short sleep duration (SSD) and lacked a sufficient sample size of individuals with long sleep duration (LSD).
measurementShort sleepers, defined as those sleeping less than 6 hours per night in Wave 1, had lower global cognition scores compared to moderate sleepers (6-8 hours) in the study.
measurementA history of heart disease was reported by 15.3% of the less than 6 hours sleep group, 11.1% of the 6-8 hours group, and 9.4% of the greater than 8 hours group, with an overall prevalence of 12.1%.
measurementCurrent smoking prevalence was 37.2% in the less than 6 hours sleep group, 40.0% in the 6-8 hours group, and 37.2% in the greater than 8 hours group, with an overall prevalence of 39.0%.
measurementThe prevalence of depression among participants was 6.8% for the less than 6 hours sleep group, 6.9% for the 6-8 hours group, and 9.5% for the greater than 8 hours group, with an overall prevalence of 7.1%.
measurementAmong participants who slept less than 6 hours at baseline, those in the 'Excessive' change group had lower global cognition scores in Wave 3 compared to the 'No-change' group (β=-1.91, P<0.001 for model 1; β=-0.94, P<0.001 for model 2; β=-0.53, P<0.05 for model 3).
Sleep Deprivation, Sleep Disorders, and Chronic Disease - CDC cdc.gov Aug 31, 2023 11 facts
claimPankowska et al. found that the prevalence of short sleep duration among US adults is lowest in urban (metropolitan) counties and higher in micropolitan and rural counties.
measurementIn 2020, one-third of US adults reported short sleep duration, with prevalence varying across different sociodemographic characteristics and geographic areas.
claimThe prevalence of short sleep duration in children is associated with inconsistent bedtimes, poor parental mental and physical health, and adverse childhood experiences.
measurementIn 2020, one-third of US adults reported short sleep duration.
referenceThe collection of articles in the Preventing Chronic Disease journal titled 'Sleep Deprivation, Sleep Disorders, and Chronic Disease' examines the bidirectional relationships between sleep, mental health, and chronic disease across the lifespan, including the influence of sociodemographic factors, racial and ethnic group differences, and geographic variations in short sleep duration.
claimCounties in the Southeast and along the Appalachian Mountains in the United States have a higher prevalence of short sleep duration.
claimSliwa et al. found that a significant proportion of high school students experienced short sleep duration during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was associated with both poor mental health and increased difficulty in doing schoolwork compared to pre-pandemic levels.
referenceA 2023 study in Preventing Chronic Disease analyzed the relationship between short sleep duration and children’s mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders within a nationally representative sample from 2016–2019.
measurementPankowska MM, Lu H, Wheaton AG, Liu Y, Lee B, and Greenlund KJ analyzed the prevalence and geographic patterns of self-reported short sleep duration among US adults in 2020.
claimClaussen et al. reported that short sleep duration, defined as less than the recommended amount of sleep for one’s age, was more prevalent among children with mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders, children from racial and ethnic minority groups, and children from households with low socioeconomic status.
claimShort sleep duration, defined as less than the recommended amount of sleep for one's age, is more prevalent among children with mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders, children from racial and ethnic minority groups, and children from households with low socioeconomic status.
Why At Least 7 Hours of Sleep Is Essential for Brain Health medicine.utah.edu Jun 26, 2023 6 facts
referenceThe study titled 'Short Sleep Duration and Interest in Sleep Improvement in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort of Diverse Women Participating in a Community-Based Wellness Intervention: An Unmet Need for Improvement' found that among 485 women of color, 199 (41%) reported 'short sleep duration,' which is defined as seven hours or less of sleep per night.
claimThe Sleep Foundation identifies the most common causes of short sleep duration as poor sleep hygiene (such as binge-watching TV or using electronic devices), lifestyle choices (such as staying out late with friends), work obligations (such as multiple jobs or shift work), sleep disorders (such as insomnia), and medical conditions (such as migraine or sleep apnea).
measurementIn the study 'Short Sleep Duration and Interest in Sleep Improvement in a Multi-Ethnic Cohort of Diverse Women Participating in a Community-Based Wellness Intervention: An Unmet Need for Improvement,' only 10.7% of the 485 participants expressed interest in improving their sleep habits.
claimBlack/African Americans are nearly twice as likely to have shorter sleep durations than Hispanics/Latinos and non-Hispanic Whites, and Hispanics/Latinos have higher rates of short sleep compared to non-Hispanic Whites.
claimShort sleep duration is associated with depression symptoms and low stress management.
claimResearchers including Kathleen Digre, MD, of the University of Utah Department of Neurology, hypothesize that short sleep duration may contribute to racial and ethnic health disparities.
U shaped association between sleep duration and long ... nature.com by F Feng · 2025 5 facts
measurementIn the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), individuals with short sleep duration (< 6 hours) had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.17 (95% CI: 1.04–1.31) for incident cognitive decline.
claimIndividuals with short sleep duration (less than 6 hours) tended to be older and female, and had a higher incidence of poor self-reported health status, hypertension, chronic lung disease, heart disease, kidney disease, and depressive symptoms.
measurementShort sleep duration of less than 6 hours is associated with a 17% increased odds of cognitive decline (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04–1.31).
measurementA sensitivity analysis excluding individuals with missing covariate data (n=6366) found that short sleep duration was associated with an adjusted OR of 1.23 for cognitive decline, and long sleep duration was associated with an adjusted OR of 1.47.
claimShort sleep duration (less than 6 hours) compromises the brain's glymphatic system, which impairs the clearance of metabolic waste products including amyloid-beta plaques and tau proteins.
Extent and Health Consequences of Chronic Sleep Loss and ... - NCBI ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 4 facts
claimHasler G., Buysse DJ, Klaghofer R., Gamma A., Ajdacic V., Eich D., Rossler W., and Angst J. (2004) conducted a 13-year prospective study showing an association between short sleep duration and obesity in young adults, published in 'Sleep'.
measurementHasler et al. (2004) conducted a 13-year prospective study finding an association between short sleep duration and obesity in young adults.
measurementThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracked the percentage of adults reporting an average of 6 hours or less of sleep per 24-hour period, categorized by sex and age group, in the United States in 1985 and 2004.
measurementIn a 13-year cohort study of nearly 500 adults, individuals with short sleep duration (less than 6 hours) by age 27 were 7.5 times more likely to have a higher body mass index, after controlling for confounding factors like family history, physical activity, and demographics (Hasler et al., 2004).
Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption dovepress.com May 19, 2017 3 facts
claimStudies of sleep disturbance in adolescents often group together the effects of short sleep duration and sleep disruption, which requires that findings be interpreted with caution.
referenceMallon, Broman, and Hetta (2005) conducted a 12-year follow-up study of a middle-aged population, finding a high incidence of diabetes in men with sleep complaints or short sleep duration, published in Diabetes Care.
claimThe physiologic consequences of disrupted sleep may be as damaging as those of short sleep duration.
Associations Between Sleep Duration and Cognitive Function ... humanfactors.jmir.org 2 facts
claimIn the study using the CHARLS database, the standard sleep duration group exhibited optimal cognitive scores, episodic memory, and mental intactness, while both short and long sleep durations were significantly associated with cognitive decline, with long sleep having a more pronounced negative effect.
claimRisks associated with both short and long sleep duration necessitate individualized sleep health interventions tailored to personal characteristics.
Sleep Deprivation, Sleep Disorders, and Chronic Disease - CDC cdc.gov 2 facts
referenceThe research article 'Short Sleep Duration: Children’s Mental, Behavioral, and Developmental Disorders and Demographic, Neighborhood, and Family Context in a Nationally Representative Sample, 2016–2019' by Claussen AH, Dimitrov LV, Bhupalam S, Wheaton AG, and Danielson ML was published in Preventing Chronic Disease in 2023 (Prev Chronic Dis 2023;20:220408).
referenceClaussen AH, Dimitrov LV, Bhupalam S, Wheaton AG, and Danielson ML conducted research on the relationship between short sleep duration and children's mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders using a nationally representative sample from 2016–2019.
Why Sleep Matters: Consequences of Sleep Deficiency sleep.hms.harvard.edu 2 facts
measurementStudies indicate that individuals who habitually sleep less than six hours per night are more likely to have a higher than average body mass index (BMI), while those who sleep eight hours have the lowest BMI.
claimCross-sectional epidemiological studies have linked both reduced and increased sleep duration, as reported on questionnaires, with hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
Sleep Across the Lifespan: A Neurobehavioral Perspective link.springer.com Feb 5, 2025 1 fact
claimShort sleep duration in early life is linked to poorer behavior, mood symptoms, and worse cognitive outcomes in toddlerhood and childhood.
Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the life span nature.com Dec 5, 2019 1 fact
referenceShort sleep duration is linked to cardiometabolic risk, as detailed in a 2019 review of pathophysiology and clinical evidence by E. Tobaldini et al. in Nature Reviews Cardiology.
How Lack of Sleep Impacts Cognitive Performance and Focus brain.health Mar 13, 2023 1 fact
claimPoor sleep, defined as short sleep duration or fragmented sleep, hinders the ability to progress through sleep cycles normally, making it difficult to think clearly and process information.
Sleep duration, chronotype, health and lifestyle factors ... bmjpublichealth.bmj.com 1 fact
measurementPopulation-based research indicates potential cognitive impairments are associated with both short sleep duration (≤4 hours) and long sleep duration (≥10 hours).
Altered State of Consciousness | Springer Nature Link link.springer.com Sep 17, 2025 1 fact
referenceS. Taheri, L. Lin, D. Austin, T. Young, and E. Mignot published 'Short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index' in PLoS Medicine in 2004.
How Lack of Sleep Impacts Cognitive Performance and Focus sleepfoundation.org Jul 29, 2025 1 fact
claimPoor sleep can manifest as short sleep duration or fragmented sleep.
Physiology of Sleep - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - NIH ncbi.nlm.nih.gov 1 fact
claimShort sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index, according to a 2004 study by Taheri et al. published in PLoS Medicine.
Associations Between Total Sleep Duration and Cognitive Function ... dovepress.com Feb 10, 2022 1 fact
referenceThe Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study, published in Sleep in 2011, found that both short and long sleep duration are associated with memory impairment in older Chinese adults.