Daily routines may strengthen circadian rhythms and support healthy aging

• A study suggests that middle-aged and older adults with stronger, more regular daily patterns of activity and rest showed signs of slower biological aging.
• Participants with clearer differences between daytime activity and nighttime rest, and less fragmented routines, had more ‘youthful’ physiological age scores.
• The associations remained significant even after researchers accounted for factors including chronological age, sex, education, and certain health conditions.
• The findings suggest that rest-activity rhythms could become targets for interventions, potentially using wearable devices or lifestyle changes, aimed at slowing the aging process.

Biological aging refers to how well the body functions as it ages, which may not always be the same as a person’s chronological age.

Some people may age more slowly and stay healthier for longer, while others may experience faster aging due to various factors, such as lifestyle habits.

It is possible to partly measure aging through epigenetic changes. This describes changes to genes without altering the DNA itself.

Using these patterns, an epigenetic clock can estimate a person’s biological age. If a person’s epigenetic age is older than their chronological age, it may suggest faster aging and a greater risk of age-related diseases.

Lifestyle habits can strongly influence epigenetic aging, with research highlighting regular exercise and healthy sleep habits as powerful tools to support healthy aging.

Notably, growing research is showing an association between aging and changes in circadian rest-activity rhythms. This refers to the natural, roughly 24-hour cycles in a person’s pattern of being awake and active versus resting and sleeping.

Now, a study published in JAMA Network Open adds to this evidence, suggesting that adults who maintain stronger and more consistent patterns of daily activity and rest may experience slower biological aging.