Duration of sleep affects the acceleration of biological aging

To quantify the rate of aging, scientists used machine learning methods to create digital models of the aging of individual organs. These models were based on data on the levels of specific proteins in the blood, metabolites, and structural changes detected through medical imaging. This allowed them to differentiate between biological age (the condition of the tissues) and chronological age (the number of years lived). The study revealed that the organs of the same individual can age at different rates, influenced by external factors such as sleep patterns.

The analysis revealed a clear U-shaped relationship between sleep time and the rate of aging. Individuals who reported sleeping between 6.4 and 7.8 hours per night had the lowest levels of biological organ wear and tear.

Deviations from this norm were associated with the following risks:

• Short sleep (less than 6 hours): associated with accelerated aging of the heart and brain, increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and arrhythmia. Also identified a link with anxiety disorders and depressive episodes
• Long sleep (more than 8 hours): associated with accelerated aging of the lungs and digestive organs. There is a correlation with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Scientists used the method of mediational analysis to study depression in the elderly. It was found that the mechanisms of development of this condition vary depending on the sleep pattern. Sleep deprivation has a direct effect on pathological stress, contributing to the development of depression. At the same time, excessive sleep affects mental health through indirect pathways related to brain and adipose tissue aging. This finding has implications for clinical practice, as the treatment of depression in patients with different sleep durations should consider the various biological mechanisms underlying its development.

This study confirms that sleep duration is not just a behavioral characteristic, but a fundamental physiological parameter that influences metabolic balance and immune system resilience.