The precise sleep duration range that will save the body from premature aging
Researchers from Columbia University analyzed data from half a million people and found that sleep habits directly affect the rate at which internal organs age. The study identifies the "golden range" of sleep that helps maintain the body's youth.
Most of us know that a day without enough sleep leaves us tired and irritable, but could it be that our sleep habits are accelerating the body's aging rate? A new study published in the scientific journal Nature claims that both too little sleep and excessive sleep are linked to faster biological aging of almost every organ in the body — from the brain and heart to the lungs and the immune system.
"Previous studies have already found that sleep is broadly linked to aging and disease burden in the brain," explains the study's lead, Prof. Junhao Wen from Columbia University's School of Medicine. "Our study goes one step further and shows that sleep duration is linked to faster aging of almost every organ in the body. The findings support the idea that sleep is essential for maintaining organ health as part of a coordinated network between the brain and the body, including metabolic balance and a healthy immune system."
"Biological clocks" that revealed the "golden range"
To examine the issue, the research team used data from about half a million participants from the UK Biobank health database. Using artificial intelligence systems and biological markers — including blood proteins and advanced imaging tests — the scientists developed 23 "biological clocks" capable of estimating the aging rate of 17 different organ systems in the body.
According to the researchers, the data analysis showed a clear pattern on the graph in the shape of the letter U: people who reported short sleep (less than 6 hours a night) or long sleep (more than 8 hours a night) showed faster biological aging markers. In contrast, the lowest levels of aging were recorded among those who slept in the "golden range" — between 6.4 and 7.8 hours of sleep per day.
However, the researchers clarify that the findings do not definitively prove that sleep duration itself is the direct cause of organ aging, but rather that too short or too long sleep may be a warning sign of poor general health.
The close connection between sleep, heart, and mind
The researchers said the results point to a broad and deep connection between sleep, neural systems in the brain, and the rest of the body's organs. Short sleep was found to be linked to a higher incidence of anxiety disorders and depression episodes, along with diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
Conversely, both short sleep and long sleep were found to be linked to chronic lung diseases (such as asthma and COPD) and various digestive system problems. "The broad pattern between the brain and the body shows us that sleep duration is deeply rooted in all of our physiology," noted Prof. Wen.
In addition, the researchers examined the link between sleep habits and depression in old age. The scientific analysis showed that short sleep may be more directly linked to depression, while long sleep affects depression through biological pathways reflected in the aging clocks of the brain and fat tissues.
"This has significant implications for future treatments," the researchers concluded. "Our study shows that there may be different biological pathways between people who sleep little and those who sleep a lot, leading to the same result — and therefore they should not be treated in the same way."
