What is it about?

We analyzed data from over 25,000 people over one year to explore how sleep timing and duration relate to next-day physical activity. Using wearable devices, we found that people who went to bed earlier – and especially those who went to bed earlier than usual while keeping their sleep duration the same – were more physically active the following day. These patterns held true across two large, independent samples. Our study suggests that even modest changes to sleep timing may help people become more active.

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Why is it important?

This is the first large-scale study to show how nightly changes in when and how long we sleep relate to physical activity the next day. Unlike previous studies that relied on short monitoring periods or self-reported data, we used wearable devices to objectively track over 6.5 million nights of sleep. Our findings show that going to bed earlier – without cutting sleep short – may be a simple and effective way to support more active lifestyles. This insight can help shape more holistic public health guidance that integrates sleep and exercise.

Perspectives

As a researcher in sleep and circadian science, I’m excited by how our study helps bridge the gap between daily behaviors and health. This project was particularly rewarding because it brought together leading experts and real-world data from both commercial and public research platforms. I hope these findings encourage people to think differently about the importance of sleep timing – not just how much sleep they get – and how subtle shifts might boost physical activity and well-being in everyday life.

Josh Leota
Monash University

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Sleep duration and timing are associated with next-day physical activity: Insights from two large-scale wearable sensor studies, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, June 2025, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2420846122.
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