Multiple chronic health problems associated with less than five hours sleep a night among over-50s

Ill health can disrupt sleep - but poor sleep may also be a forewarning or a risk itself.

Sleep helps restore, rest and rejuvenate the body and mind - but why the "golden slumber number" might matter remains unclear.

The PLoS Medicine study, carried out by researchers from University College London and Paris Cité University, tracked the health and sleep of UK civil servants.

All of the 8,000 participants were asked: How many hours of sleep do you have on an average weeknight?"

Some also wore a wrist-watch sleep tracker.

They were then checked for chronic conditions, including diabetes, cancer and heart disease, over two decades of monitoring.

And the results showed that those who slept five fours or less around age 50 had a 30% greater risk of multiple ailments than those who slept a full seven hours.

Inadequate sleep at 50 was also associated with a higher risk of death during the study period, mainly linked to the increased risk of chronic disease.

Experts generally recommend about seven or eight hours for optimal health.

Surrey Sleep Centre director Professor Derk-Jan Dijk said: "This work reinforces that getting only short sleep is not good for us. Generally, it's not healthy - although for some, it may be OK. The big question is, why do some people sleep less? What is causing it and is there anything we can do about it? Sleep is a modifiable lifestyle factor to a certain extent."

Long stretches of bad sleep can severely affect wellbeing, and not just among the over 50s.

GPs now rarely prescribe sleeping pills, which can have serious side-effects and cause dependency.

But sleep problems can often be resolved and support is available.

Tips for a quality night’s slumber

--Avoid daytime naps

--Design a soothing night-time routine such as having a relaxing bath before bed or putting some soporific lavender oil on your pillow

--Tire yourself out during the day by keeping busy and active but slow down your level of activity towards bedtime and avoid watching over-stimulating material on TV or on online platforms such as Netflix

--Reduce or eliminate caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime – both are known to negatively impact and disrupt REM sleep patterns

--Establish a good night-time routine and make sure your bedroom is relaxing and conducive to sleep - use thick or blackout curtains to keep out sunlight, keep a comfy room temperature – cooler temperatures are associated with optimal sleep and use comfortable bedding, plus ensure there are no electronic devices in your bedroom including laptops or smartphones

--If you can't nod off - get up and do something relaxing for a bit, such as reading a book, and then return when sleepier

--Get help to figure out what you can and can’t change if you can’t let go of work stress or conflict at home. You might have tried every tip, but still feel keyed up or anxious when night rolls around. In those instances, it can be helpful to talk with a licensed therapist, who can help you get to the root of your problems and create a realistic plan to resolve them.