Most people do not meet the standards of sleep and activity
Most people find it difficult to get enough sleep and be active enough at the same time. An analysis of data from more than 70,000 people from all over the world has shown that less than 13% consistently achieve the standards for sleep quality and physical activity. The work is based on more than 28 million days of real-world measurements taken from fitness devices, and is published in the journal Communications Medicine.
The researchers studied how much sleep the participants got each night and how many steps they took during the day. It turned out that many people fall short of the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep and eight thousand steps daily. Almost 17% of people sleep less than seven hours and move less than five thousand steps a day — a combination associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases, weight gain and mental health deterioration.
The authors note that the effect of sleep on activity turned out to be much stronger than the effect of activity on sleep. According to lead author Josh Fitton, a quality night’s rest is the best way to ensure a more active, energetic next day. People who slept better actually moved more. But the extra steps did little to improve sleep the next night.
Interestingly, the next day was not the most active after the longest night. According to the study, people moved best after six to seven hours of sleep. However, scientists emphasize that not only the duration, but also the quality of sleep is important: those who tossed less at night and slept more peacefully consistently showed higher daytime activity.
The results of the study call into question the viability of existing health standards. Experts point out that only a few are able to observe both sleep and movement standards on a daily basis. Therefore, it is important to consider how the recommendations fit together and help people adapt them to real life conditions.
According to Professor Danny Eckert, who also participated in the work, sleep can be the main resource for people with busy schedules, which is worth starting the path to a healthier and more active life. He reminds us that even small changes — less screen time before bedtime, a regime, and a calm environment in the bedroom — can significantly improve the quality of a night’s rest.
Scientists strictly emphasize that sleep is the most important foundation that helps us to be more energetic, active and healthier during the day.
Published
November, 2025
Category
Medicine
Duration of reading
2–3 minutes
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Source
Scientific Journal Communications Medicine. Article:«Bidirectional associations between sleep and physical activity investigated using large-scale objective monitoring data»
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