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Long Sleep and Short Sleep Raise Kidney Risk in Seniors
USATuesday, February 10, 2026
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Sleep Hours and Kidney Health in Older Adults
Older adults often sleep less or more than the usual seven hours, and this can hurt their kidneys.
A large study examined 178,268 U.S. seniors who answered a health survey in 2022. Researchers divided participants into five groups based on sleep duration:
| Sleep Duration | Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease |
|---|---|
| ≤5 hours | 55 % higher risk |
| 6 hours | 32 % higher risk |
| 7 hours (reference) | — |
| 8 hours | 27 % higher risk |
| ≥9 hours | 41 % higher odds |
Key findings:
- Both very short and very long sleep increased the chance of kidney problems.
- The pattern held across gender, age bracket, race, and body weight—the link is consistent for many groups.
- Staying within a moderate sleep window (around seven hours) could help protect kidney function in seniors.
Implication: Doctors and caregivers should monitor not only the quality but also the quantity of sleep in older patients.
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