Want To Keep An Eye On Your Eye Health? Get Quality Sleep, Study Says

We know that getting enough quality sleep improves our energy levels, mood, and overall performance—but does sleep have an impact on eye health? According to a new study published in Stem Cell Reports1, it very well might. Here's what the researchers found.

For this study, researchers from Harvard University and Xiamen University in China studied mice to better understand how sleep influences eye health. (Previous research has indicated that getting adequate sleep over time is associated with better eye health outcomes.)

The researchers had one group of mice go through nights of poor sleep, while the control group was adequately rested. From there, the team studied the short-term and long-term effects of the mice's sleep patterns on their eye health.

The study authors also add that if validated in humans, these findings have important implications, given less than two-thirds of people in the U.S. are getting the recommended seven hours of sleep (at least) a night.

We know sleep is important, but it's easy to forget all the things it can affect, down to our eye health. And not only is getting enough sleep so crucial to our overall health, but making sure it's quality sleep is key, too—for our eyes and so much more.