Sleeping for more than the recommended seven to eight hours per night could lead to you dying younger, a new study suggests.

Researchers found those who slept for 10 hours were 30% more likely to die prematurely than those who slept for eight, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Staying in bed for more than 10 hours was also linked to a 56% increased risk of death from stroke and a 49% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Poor sleep quality was associated with a 44% increase in coronary heart disease.

Researchers looked at data from 74 studies involving more than three million people.


They said GPs ought to ask their patients questions about sleeping patterns during appointments.

Dr Chun Shing Kwok, lead researcher, said: "Abnormal sleep is a marker of elevated cardiovascular risk and greater consideration should be given in exploring both duration and sleep quality during patient consultations.

"There are cultural, social, psychological, behavioural, pathophysiological and environmental influences on our sleep such as the need to care for children or family members, irregular working shift patterns, physical or mental illness, and the 24-hour availability of commodities in modern society."

The study, which involved researchers from the Keele University and the universities of Leeds, Manchester and East Anglia, said the research was limited as duration of sleep was self-reported and that underlying mental or physical conditions may have had an impact on "extreme sleep patterns".