Sleep fit regimen could be vital to staying healthy

Good night's rest found to boost activity levels

- BY STEPHEN BEECH

REST is best for wellbeing - but most people don't get enough of it, according to new research.

Previous studies show that getting sufficient sleep and staying active are two of the most important things people can do for our health.

But Australian researchers have found that less than one in seven people (13 per cent) achieve both, and that sleep may hold the key to moving more.

Scientists at Flinders University in Adelaide analysed more than 28 million days of real-world health data from over 70,000 people around the world.

They discovered that fewer than 13 per cent consistently meet recommended sleep and physical activity targets.

The findings suggest that improving sleep quality could be an effective way to boost daily activity.

The research team examined data collected over 3.5 years from consumer health devices that tracked nightly sleep and daily steps.

They found that most people fall short of the widely promoted benchmarks of seven to nine hours of sleep and at least 8,000 steps a day.