Want to Slow Your Biological Aging? Sleeping 6.4 to 7.8 Hours a Night May Help

A recent study found that too little or too much sleep may speed aging in the brain and other organs. The study used aging clocks to examine associations between sleep and various mental health and medical conditions. The researchers also found a direct link between sleep and late-life depression.

Sleep is an important aspect of overall health and emotional well-being. The amount and quality of sleep you get can affect your body in various ways. A recent study published in Nature found that getting too little or too much sleep may speed aging in the brain and other areas of the body. Previous research has linked low sleep to faster brain aging. This study, however, takes that further and shows an association between the amount of sleep you get and the aging of nearly every organ. “Sleep is fundamental for healthy aging and longevity. More importantly, it is potentially modifiable,” said lead study author Junhao Wen , PhD, assistant professor of radiological sciences at Columbia University. “In this study, we measure biological aging clocks across organs to link these clocks with sleep duration,” Wen told Healthline. Chronological age is the number of years you have been alive. Biological age measures how quickly your cells and tissues are aging. Studies like this examine biological aging and the various factors that can affect it. Aging clocks have become increasingly popular in these types of studies.

Key points

• Sleep is an important aspect of overall health and emotional well-being.
• The amount and quality of sleep you get can affect your body in various ways.
• A recent study published in Nature found that getting too little or too much sleep may speed aging in the brain and other areas of the body.
• Previous research has linked low sleep to faster brain aging.
• This study, however, takes that further and shows an association between the amount of sleep you get and the aging of nearly every organ.