Could your sleep type affect your daily living?

Researchers have identified four sleeping types and have found possible implications of poorer sleep habits on your health. [Source: Shutterstock]

Key points:

• A recent study with 3,700 participants has helped researchers determine four different sleep types and possible related health implications
• Almost half of Australian adults experienced at least two sleep-related issues in 2021
• Sleep can be of poorer quality for numerous reasons including financial and work stress

Researchers suggest that your sleep patterns could impact long-term health outcomes, according to study results where 3,700 participants’ sleep patterns were assessed after ten years from initial data collection.

At least two sleep-related issues were reported by almost 50 percent of Australians in 2021, with conditions including insomnia and sleep apnea. Ensuring that Australians learn more about sleep habits and how to improve them could contribute to better sleep health in Australia.

In the study, assessing participants’ sleep health was narrowed down to certain criteria to determine optimal sleep habits. Factors such as duration, timing and satisfaction of sleep were included to help researchers determine how well someone slept.

In the study, researchers identified four types of sleepers:

• good sleepers: have optimal sleep habits;
• weekend catch-up sleepers: sleep less during the work-week but longer on weekends or non-work days;
• insomnia sleepers: long time to fall asleep, tired during the day, short sleep — exhibits clinical insomnia symptoms;
• nappers: similar to good sleepers but nap frequently during the day.

Researchers found that there were health risks associated with having certain sleep patterns. For example, participants with insomnia-type symptoms were at a much higher risk for conditions such as diabetes, depression and cardiovascular disease. 

Similarly, people who nap frequently were at greater risk of diabetes and cancer, and in this study, older people and retirees were more likely to have this sleep type. 

Having good sleep habits or sleeping on weekends to catch up on missed sleep does not appear to have any negative health implications, according to this study data.

The lead researcher, Soomi Lee, is also an associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State University. Lee understands that improving people’s knowledge of sleep is beneficial for their overall health and well-being.

“Better sleeping habits can make many significant differences, from improving social relationships and work performance to promoting long-term healthy behaviours and healthy ageing,” said Lee.

Lee knows that sharing this knowledge with people and helping everyone understand sleep hygiene is an aspect to assist with better sleep.

“We need to make more efforts to educate the public about good sleep health. There are sleep hygiene behaviours that people could do to improve their sleep, such as not using cell phones in bed, exercising regularly and avoiding caffeine in the late afternoon,” said Lee. 

However, Lee suggests that making changes in sleep patterns and techniques is a long-term goal rather than something that can change overnight.

“These results may suggest that it is very difficult to change our sleep habits because sleep health is embedded into our overall lifestyle. It may also suggest that people still don’t know about the importance of their sleep and about sleep health behaviours,” Lee said. 

While ideas about sleep hygiene can aid sleep quality, retired people may find it harder to sleep.

While older adults need the same amount of sleep as younger adults, the recommended seven to nine hours may be harder to attain for numerous reasons. Evidence suggests that people who have retired are more likely to sleep longer and have fewer sleep difficulties than people who are currently employed. This is also supported by results from another study where longer sleep duration, later bedtimes, and later wake times were seen in people who were transitioning to retirement.

There is also a correlation between poor sleep quality and stressors such as financial and work issues. 

People who have needed to retire involuntarily may have done so for health reasons or living with disability. Compared to the working-age population, people who have needed to retire because of necessity rather than choice ‘experience higher levels of financial stress and poverty.’

If you have become an involuntary retiree, the government has suggestions on how to navigate your new circumstances. 

What is your sleep type?

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