While researchers note that the research doesn’t confirm that exercise directly leads to improved rest, the findings are mostly consistent with previous research, according to Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance which tracks health related issues pertinent to longevity matters.

Inadequate sleep has been linked to depression, cardiovascular disease and other health problems notes Slome.  Increased risk of cardiovascular disease puts aging Americans at greater risk of needing benefits from their long-term care insurance Slome explains.

The researchers noted that hoping that a daily walk or jog will clear up sleep problems might be a bit too optimistic.   More than one-third of U.S. adults have trouble falling asleep at night or staying alert during the day, according to background information in the study.

The new study by researchers at Oregon State University examined data from a U.S. health survey conducted from 2005 to 2006.   The researchers focused on over 2,500 men and women between ages 18 to 85.  They measured their activity levels and answered questions about sleep.

All study participants wore accelerometers, devices that measure physical activity for a one-week period.

The researchers adjusted their statistics so they wouldn’t be thrown off by unusually high or low numbers of people of certain ages, weight, health condition, smoking history or other factors. Participants met or exceeded national exercise guidelines by getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise or a combination of both.

Those who met the guidelines were 65 percent less likely to report often feeling sleepy during the day compared to those who got less exercise. They were also 68 percent less likely to report sometimes having leg cramps and 45 percent less likely to report having trouble concentrating while tired.

For more information on long term care insurance, visit the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/ .  To read a free online guide about reducing costs for long-term care insurance go to long term care insurance costs.

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According to a research abstract presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies participants who reported a habitual daily sleep duration of eight hours or more including naps were 15 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome. 

This relationship remained unchanged after full adjustment for potential confounders such as demographics, lifestyle and sleep habits, and metabolic markers. Removing participants with potential ill health from the analysis slightly attenuated the observed association. Although participants who reported a short sleep duration of less than six hours were 14 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome in the initial analysis, this association disappeared after controlling for potential confounders.

Researchers noted that the most surprising aspect of the study was that long sleep – and not short sleep – was related to the presence of the metabolic syndrom.

The study involved over 29,000 adults, making it the largest study to assess the relationship between sleep duration and the presence of metabolic syndrome. Participants were 50 years of age or older. Total sleep duration was reported by questionnaire.

We can recommend that long sleepers reduce the amount of overall sleep they achieve, which may in turn have beneficial effects on their health one medical expert noted. Programs can be developed to modify sleep in an attempt to reduce the health burden on elderly populations, who are already at higher risk of disease.

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