Too much or too little sleep may speed aging in brain, heart, and lungs

• Insufficient sleep can have adverse health effects, but a new study suggests that too much sleep could also do harm.
• The study, which analyzed the biological clocks of half a million people, suggests that both too little and too much sleep are associated with faster aging of almost every organ in the body.
• The researchers suggest that too few hours of sleep—and too many—may speed aging in the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system, and are associated with a wide range of diseases.

According to the National Institutes of Health, quality sleep is as essential for our survival as food and water. But how much sleep is optimum?

New research suggests that getting either too much sleep or too little sleep, particularly in mid- and later life, is associated with faster aging of almost all organ systems in the body.

The study, published in Nature, suggests that between 6.4 and 7.8 hours of sleep a night is associated with healthy aging, lower disease risk, and enhanced longevity. Any more or any less was associated with an increased risk of disease and mortality.

“The finding that around 6.4–7.8 hours of sleep appeared to be associated with healthier biological aging reinforces the idea that sleep is one of the most important modifiable lifestyle factors for long-term health. We often focus on supplements and advanced biohacking technologies, but sleep remains foundational for recovery, mitochondrial function and cellular repair.”

— Tunc Tiryaki, Founder of London Regenerative Institute Clinics, who was not involved in the study.