Experts: Six To Nine Hours Of Sleep Needed For Better Health

Westchester, IL (AHN) - Six to nine hours of sleep are the recommended length of time for a healthier body. The window hours were determined by a study conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

The study, released Wednesday, linked excessive or lack of sleep to obesity. According to the academy's door-to-door survey of 87,000 American adults between 2004 to 2006, 33 percent of those who slept less than six hours had excess weight, while 26 percent of those who slept more than nine hours similarly were obese.

Another major connection established in the study was between smoking and sleeping. Around 31 percent of undersleepers were smokers, while 26 percent of oversleepers were also into nicotine use.

Previous sleep studies had linked sleeping with hormonal imbalances, diabetes and high blood pressure.

James Gangwisch, a Columbia University sleep researcher, told the AP, "We're getting to the point that they may start recommending getting enough sleep as a standard approach to weight loss and the prevention of obesity."