Too much of everything, they say, is bad. This aphorism has been further strengthened by a study which found that sleeping for more than nine hours a day can increase the risk of premature death.
The research focused on the dangers inherent in living a sedentary life – combining excessive sleep with other equally harmful habits such as sitting for too long and not engaging in regular exercise.
The study which was conducted in the University of Sydney, Australia shows that “we should really be taking these behaviours together as seriously as we do risk factors such as levels of drinking and unhealthy eating patterns,” Dr Melody King, study author and senior research fellow at the university said.
While previous research has focused on the impact of sleep on health, this study looked at the impact of both sleep and sitting together.
‘When you add a lack of exercise into the mix, you get a type of “triple whammy” effect, Dr King said.
The researchers looked at the factors that could pre-dispose individuals to health risks – smoking, drinking, unhealthy eating pattern, being physically inactive – and added excessive sleep into the mix.
They found that sleeping for two long, lack of exercise and sitting were a deadly combination.
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