On average, humans spend a third of their lives sleeping. At first, this may sound like a waste of precious time that could be used to work, learn, and socialize. However, not getting enough sleep can impact our body, not just by making us feel tired the next day, but also by harming our health. Research has shown that chronic sleep issues impact mood and disrupt the body’s immune system, which increases inflammation and leads to health issues such as heart attacks. Recently, there has been research showing that poor sleep accelerates brain aging as well.
A brain imaging study from the Karolinska Institutet found that individuals who experience poor sleep tend to have brains that appear older than their chronological age. The research analyzed data from 27,500 middle-aged and older participants in the UK Biobank. Participants completed questionnaires covering five sleep-related factors: chronotype (sleep-wake pattern), sleep duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime sleepiness. After 9 years of data collection, the participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate their brain age.
The study found that individuals who slept poorly had brains that appeared approximately one year older than their actual age. For each one-point drop in the healthy sleep score, the gap between brain age and chronological age widened by roughly six months. This may be because sleep allows the brain to remove toxins and waste that could harm brain cells. Sleep also supports heart and blood vessel health, which is important for maintaining good blood flow to the brain. Additionally, poor sleep tends to raise inflammation levels in the body, which accounts for10% of the link between poor sleep and brain aging. Overall, the impact of poor sleep on brain aging was more pronounced in men than in women.
However, this study has some limitations. For instance, the self-reported sleep data might be inaccurate or biased. Moreover, the participants were generally healthier than the broader UK population, which means the findings may not be fully generalizable.
Despite these limitations, the findings emphasize the importance of getting good sleep. While a one-year difference in brain aging might seem small, it can accumulate over time and increase the risk of cognitive decline and other health problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. To support healthy sleep, maintain a consistent sleep schedule, practice calming activities such as journaling, and avoid caffeine or heavy meals before bedtime. Taking sleep seriously leads to a healthier and better future.