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Health

Study links increased REM sleep to lower risk of dozens of diseases

Higher amounts of REM and deep sleep correlate with reduced risk of multi-system health conditions, according to ScienceDaily.

Updated Sep 24, 2026 · 06:40 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • A study of over 95,000 UK Biobank participants found increased REM sleep is linked to a reduced risk of 83 health conditions, including dementia and heart failure.[ScienceDaily]
  • Greater deep sleep was correlated with a lower risk of seven conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and major depression.[ScienceDaily]
  • Sleeping fewer than five hours a night was tied to a higher risk for 37 medical conditions.[ScienceDaily]
  • Because the research is observational, it cannot prove that sleep duration or stages directly cause or prevent disease.[ScienceDaily]

Key facts

  • Researchers analyzed 95,559 UK Biobank participants using wrist accelerometers to monitor sleep stages.[ScienceDaily]
  • Higher REM sleep levels were associated with a lower risk of 83 diseases, including heart failure, dementia, and Parkinson's disease.[ScienceDaily]
  • Greater deep sleep duration was associated with reduced risk of seven conditions, including type 2 diabetes and major depressive disorder.[ScienceDaily]
  • Sleeping less than five hours per night correlated with an increased risk of 37 health conditions.[ScienceDaily]

What remains uncertain

  • The study design is observational, meaning it cannot establish direct cause-and-effect relationships between sleep habits and disease outcomes.[ScienceDaily]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.