Sleep can age the body prematurely — scientists
A study by Columbia University scientists has revealed a U-shaped relationship between sleep duration and the rate of biological aging. The most favorable indicators are found in those who sleep between 6.4 and 7.8 hours. Deviations in either direction are associated with accelerated aging and disease risk.
Scientists at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have found that nighttime sleep duration affects the biological age of internal organs. The study analyzed medical data from approximately half a million people, using 23 biological markers of aging. A U-shaped relationship was identified: the optimal sleep duration is between 6.4 and 7.8 hours per night. With less than six hours of sleep, signs of accelerated aging become more pronounced. A similar trend is observed in those who sleep more than eight hours. Deviations from the optimum affect several body systems: lack of sleep is linked to an increased likelihood of depressive and anxiety disorders, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Both too short and excessively long sleep are associated with the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart rhythm disorders, as well as diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems. The author of the material is Tomer Adoni.