Too little sleep linked to low bone mineral density and osteoporosis

A new study of 11,084 postmenopausal women published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that shortened sleep negatively affects women’s bone health. The participants who reported sleeping for 5 or less hours a night were found to have lower bone mineral density in all 4 sites assessed, whole body, hip, neck and spine, compared to the women who reported sleeping for 7 hours a night. The women who reported sleeping for 5 hours or less a night were found to have a 22% and 63% higher risk of low bone mass and osteoporosis of the hip and spine respectively.