A recent study led by Flinders University highlights a significant global issue: most individuals struggle to achieve recommended levels of both sleep and physical activity. Published in Communications Medicine, this research analyzed over 28 million days of health data from more than 70,000 people worldwide, revealing that fewer than 13% consistently meet the targets for both health metrics.
The findings indicate that enhancing sleep quality could be a key strategy for increasing daily activity levels. The research team examined data collected over three and a half years from consumer health devices, which tracked nightly sleep duration and daily step counts. Alarmingly, nearly 17% of participants averaged less than seven hours of sleep and fewer than 5,000 steps per day, a combination that is linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases, weight gain, and mental health challenges.
Sleep’s Impact on Daily Activity
Lead author Josh Fitton, a Ph.D. candidate at FHMRI Sleep Health, emphasized that the study’s results demonstrate a stronger correlation between sleep quality and subsequent physical activity than vice versa. “We found that getting a good night’s sleep—especially high-quality sleep—sets you up for a more active day,” Fitton explained. “People who slept well tended to move more the following day, but doing extra steps didn’t really improve sleep that night. This highlights the importance of sleep if we want to boost physical activity.”
Interestingly, the research revealed that the optimal amount of sleep for enhancing next-day activity is not the longest duration. According to Fitton, “Our data showed that sleeping around six to seven hours per night was linked to the highest step counts the next day. But that doesn’t mean you should cut back on sleep because quality is just as important. People who slept more efficiently, meaning they spent less time tossing and turning, were consistently more active.”
Reassessing Health Guidelines
These findings raise critical questions about the feasibility of current health recommendations. Fitton remarked, “Our findings call into question the real-world compatibility of prominent health recommendations and highlight how difficult it is for most people to have an active lifestyle and sleep well at the same time.” He noted that only a small fraction of individuals manage to achieve both recommended sleep and activity levels daily.
Senior author Professor Danny Eckert pointed out that for individuals balancing work, family, and other obligations, prioritizing sleep may be the first step toward achieving a healthier and more active lifestyle. “Prioritizing sleep could be the most effective way to boost your energy, motivation, and capacity for movement,” Eckert said. He suggested that simple changes, such as reducing screen time before bed, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, and creating a calming sleep environment, can significantly enhance sleep quality.
“Our research shows that sleep is not just a passive state; it’s an active contributor to your ability to live a healthy, active life,” Eckert concluded.
For more detailed information, refer to the study titled “Bidirectional associations between sleep and physical activity investigated using large-scale objective monitoring data,” published in Communications Medicine in March 2025.
