HHS HealthBeat (October 30, 2008)

Sleep or slip

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

A good night’s rest could prevent broken bones and other injuries from falls for women who are 70 years and older.

Katie Stone of the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco found women who sleep five hours or less per night are 50 percent more likely to fall than those who sleep more than seven to eight hours per night.

Stone says falls are more dangerous to older people.

“Falls are very important to understand because they often result in injuries such as hip fractures that are very debilitating and decrease quality of life and even lead to increased risk of other health outcomes in older adults.” (14 seconds)

Among those outcomes: Falls can send people into nursing homes before their time.

The study in Archives of Internal Medicine was supported by the U.S. Public Health Service.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: October, 30 2008