This report presents findings from Vitality’s research in collaboration with The London School of Economics and Political Science, which analysed over 47 million nights of tracked sleep to understand the impact of sleep patterns on health, productivity, and economic outcomes. This research aims to demonstrate that healthy sleep behaviours are not only essential for individual wellbeing but also have significant implications for public health and business performance.
The analysis shows that insufficient or irregular sleep increases the risk of chronic illness, hospitalisation, and premature mortality. Conversely, maintaining consistent and adequate sleep can add up to four years to life expectancy, reduce healthcare costs by as much as USD 287 per person annually, and recover up to six lost working days each year. One in three adults worldwide fails to achieve the recommended seven hours of nightly sleep, making poor sleep one of the most widespread and underestimated health risks.
This report highlights that bedtime consistency is an even stronger predictor of health outcomes than sleep duration alone. Falling asleep within a one-hour window of a regular bedtime can reduce mortality risk by 31% and hospital admissions by 9%. The proposed 7–1 heuristic – seven hours of sleep within a one-hour bedtime window – offers a simple, evidence-based framework for improving sleep habits.
The findings emphasise that sleep should be treated as an active behaviour that can be measured, practised, and improved. Advances in wearable technology and behavioural incentives make it possible to track and enhance sleep quality at scale. This report concludes that integrating sleep into wellness programmes, insurance incentives, and public health policy can deliver measurable benefits in health, productivity, and economic performance.