Go to bed within the same hour and get enough sleep, new study suggests

A wearable-based study of 105,000 people and 47 million nights found that sleeping at least seven hours and keeping bedtime within a one-hour window on most nights was associated with a lower mortality risk and an estimated 2–4 extra years of life.

New research using wearable sleep data has focused attention on bedtime consistency as a factor linked with longevity. The analysis covered 105,000 people and about 47 million nights of tracked sleep. Researchers reported that a pattern of sleeping seven hours and going to bed within a one-hour window for at least five nights per week was associated with longer life. Sleep experts quoted in the article emphasized that timing and duration together appear to influence sleep quality and physiological rhythms. Main findings: - The study analyzed data from about 105,000 individuals and 47 million nights of wearable sleep tracking. - Participants who slept at least seven hours and kept bedtime within a one-hour window at least five nights per week were associated with an estimated 2–4 additional years of life and a reported 24% lower mortality risk. - When analyzed separately, keeping bedtime within a one-hour window was associated with a 31% lower mortality risk. - Experts in the article said both sleep duration and regular timing likely matter because they support circadian rhythm, hormonal balance, and restorative sleep stages. - The article reports the study authors’ recommendation of the "7:1" rule (seven hours and a one-hour bedtime window on most nights) and lists four expert-mentioned approaches to support timing and duration: choosing realistic bed and wake times, shifting schedules gradually, establishing a wind-down routine, and optimizing the sleep environment. Summary: The researchers and the doctors quoted present the 7:1 sleep rule as a low-cost behavior linked with lower mortality in this observational dataset. Undetermined at this time.