Sleep 7-8 hours

Suggested

2 studies · 1 recommendation

Last updated: February 25, 2026

Suggested2 studies

Sleeping 7-8 hours nightly may reduce stroke risk compared to longer or shorter durations

A prospective cohort study of 9,692 stroke-free participants (aged 42-81) from the EPIC-Norfolk cohort tracked 346 stroke cases over 9.5 years. Long sleep duration carried a 46% increased stroke risk (HR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.08-1.98), while short sleep showed an 18% non-significant elevation (HR = 1.18, 95% CI 0.91-1.53). Persistently long sleepers and those whose sleep duration substantially increased over time faced the highest risk. An accompanying meta-analysis of multiple studies confirmed pooled hazard ratios of 1.15 (95% CI 1.07-1.24) for short sleep and 1.45 (95% CI 1.30-1.62) for long sleep. Maintaining a consistent 7-8 hour sleep pattern appears optimal for minimizing stroke risk, with deviations in either direction — particularly oversleeping — linked to measurably higher hazard.

Evidence

Sleep duration and risk of fatal and nonfatal stroke : a prospective study and meta-analysis

Authors: Brayne, Carol, Cappuccio, Francesco, Khaw, Kay-Tee, Leng, Yue, Luben, Robert N., Surtees, Paul G., Wainwright, Nick W. J.

Published: March 17, 2015

A prospective cohort of 9,692 stroke-free participants aged 42-81 from the EPIC-Norfolk cohort followed for 9.5 years recorded 346 stroke cases. Long sleep was significantly associated with increased stroke risk (HR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.08-1.98) after full covariate adjustment. Short sleep showed a non-significant elevated risk (HR = 1.18, 95% CI 0.91-1.53). Persistently long sleepers and those with substantial increases in sleep duration over time had higher stroke risk compared to persistently average sleepers. An updated meta-analysis confirmed pooled HRs of 1.15 (95% CI 1.07-1.24) for short sleep and 1.45 (95% CI 1.30-1.62) for long sleep duration.

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Sleep duration and risk of fatal and nonfatal stroke: a prospective study and meta-analysis.

Authors: Brayne, Carol, Cappuccio, Francesco P, Khaw, Kay-Tee, Leng, Yue, Luben, Robert, Surtees, Paul G, Wainwright, Nick WJ

Published: February 25, 2015

In a prospective cohort of 9,692 stroke-free participants aged 42-81 from the EPIC-Norfolk study, 346 stroke cases occurred over 9.5 years of follow-up. Long sleep duration was significantly associated with increased stroke risk (HR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.08-1.98) after full covariate adjustment. Short sleep showed a smaller, non-significant association (HR = 1.18, 95% CI 0.91-1.53). Persistently long sleepers and those with substantial increases in sleep duration over time had higher stroke risk compared to persistently average sleepers. An updated meta-analysis confirmed pooled HRs of 1.15 (95% CI 1.07-1.24) for short sleep and 1.45 (95% CI 1.30-1.62) for long sleep.

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