Not Diet, Not Exercise: Scientists Say This Factor Drives Longevity

Humans are undoubtedly overwhelmed with information aimed to help improve their health and life expectancy, and some of these "tips" can unfortunately come in the form of fads or what might otherwise be trending on social media. However, scientists consistently stand behind the three main pillars of health: nutrition, exercise, and sleep. All three of these pillars go hand in hand with one another. For example, a healthy diet can help you get the nutrition you need to fuel your workouts, while regular exercise is noted for improving sleep quality. Each pillar is vital to your overall health, but sleep has only recently been recognized as being just as important as a healthy diet and physical activity. Research even suggests that sleep might be the most important pillar of health for longevity's sake.

While too much sleep may actually decrease your lifespan, getting enough sleep on a regular basis has both short-term and long-term benefits. One study, published in Sleep Advances, found some interesting links between sleep and life expectancy. By looking at U.S. county data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gathered between 2019 and 2025, the authors concluded that insufficient sleep was strongly linked with a decrease in life expectancy. On top of this, their findings also suggest that sleep could impact longevity even more than nutrition or exercise. So although many people try focusing on eating a healthier diet and getting extra workouts into their weekly routines, missing out on sleep could have some negative consequences for overall lifespan.

When considering how sleep can promote a longer lifespan, researchers have pointed to other benefits of sleep in recent years. Not getting enough sleep (or routinely getting poor quality of sleep) has immediate effects on mood and performance. In the long-term, inadequate sleep can increase the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease. On the flipside, high-quality sleep is linked with a reduced risk of dementia in older adults, including Alzheimer's disease. Sleep also boosts your immune system function, helps to repair blood vessels, and aids long-term memory. Regardless of exact lifespan, all of these sleep-based benefits could improve your overall quality of life.

While the study's results add to the conversation surrounding sleep and longevity, most researchers believe all three pillars of health are equally important. Nevertheless, sleep is still the most neglected pillar of health. If you've ever been guilty of going to the gym early with little sleep, or staying up too late meal-prepping, chances are you are prioritizing the other two pillars. Also, while the general rule of thumb is 7 to 9 hours of sleep for most adults, some need more based on underlying medical conditions.

Since about one-third of adults skimp on sleep, you might want to consider if you're among them. If so, this pillar of your health could use a bit more work. Just resist trusting sleep shortcuts that might do more harm than good. A more practical idea is to go to sleep a bit earlier every night until you achieve the ideal amount of sleep. The Sleep Foundation recommends 15 minutes earlier each night as a good way to start working on this important health factor.