Sleeping less than 6 Hours a Night is Seriously Bad for Your Health

Multiple studies have shown that a lack of sleep is associated with other problems such as diabetes and heart disease - with the sleep-deprived 12% more likely to die prematurely.

The middle-aged will be targeted by a major publicity drive in the Press and online, aiming to help them live more healthy lifestyles and reduce the risk of serious illness.

Health bosses fear that the age group is often 'neglected' because people focus more on the health problems suffered by children and the elderly.

Along with more traditional lifestyle changes such as giving up smoking and eating healthier, the over-40s will be told to ensure they get enough sleep. 

Research has found that failing to get enough sleep can have deadly consequences, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as obesity.

Scientists say that sleep deprivation upsets the balance of key hormones leptin and ghrelin, which regulate the appetite and help us know when we have eaten enough.

The modern lifestyle of staying up late and getting up early is a 'ticking time bomb for our health', according to researchers. One contributing factor is the increasing use of smartphones and tablets before going to bed, which reduces the level of melatonin and makes it harder to get to sleep.

"Stopping smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, taking more exercise, improving diet, reducing stress, improving sleep and checking for common signs and symptoms of disease." By making these seven lifestyle changes, the adults in mid-life will vastly improve chances of a longer, more active and fulfilled life.

So if you want to live longer, get more sleep. (Get the custom pillow case at snapmade.com to help you sleep better.)