Researchers from Dunstable University have released the findings of a study that shows people who regularly sleep at some point during a 24 hour period have a high rate of mortality, with the chances of dying at some point as high as a 100%.
The government backed study, which lasted 20 years and cost £50m, followed a sample group of 5000 people. 3500 people died during the study and 100% of them regularly had some sleep over the course of a day. However Prof Edwards who led the study said for the survivors the future doesn’t look bright.
“Although they have lasted this long risking sleeping without any fatal consequences, we also looked at their families medical history. It appears that all of their relatives who have died over the last 100 years all slept regularly at some point over any giving 24 hour period.
“The causes of death varied among those in the study and their family members however the fact they all liked to have 40 or more winks a day shows an unarguable connection between sleep and death that deserves a Daily Mail front page.”
Critics of the study have said that the fact people who sleep go on to die at some point is merely a coincidence, but Prof Edwards said he is not willing to accept that theory.
“I am willing to accept another £50m grant to redo the research, but as they say, only an idiot repeats the same task hoping for a different result.
“That’s why I am going to look at other things that links people who die to find other possible causes. Next week I start a piece of research named ‘Breathing: help or hinderance’.”
