Most of us know that pulling all-nighters is bad for our health. But did we know that oversleeping can be just as rough on our body?
According to a new study published in the journal Nature, sleeping less than six hours or more than eight hours a night can actually speed up how fast our organs age. Scientists from Columbia University looked at health data from around 500,000 people and used smart AI "aging clocks" to track how well 17 different organ systems were holding up.
Their big takeaway?
The sweet spot for most adults is around seven hours of sleep every night (specifically between 6.4 and 7.8 hours). People who regularly slept within this range showed the fewest signs of early biological aging.
What Is Biological Aging?
Unlike our birth age and biological age measures how worn down your internal organs like tissues and cells actually are. When our biological age rises faster than normal and risk for chronic health issues goes way up.
The study showed that getting too little sleep was linked to:
Mental health issues: Higher rates of depression and anxiety.
Physical health conditions: Obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems.
On the flip side both sleeping too little and sleeping too much were linked to asthma, lung issues and digestive troubles like acid reflux and gastritis.
Simple Ways to Fix Our Sleep
The good news is that sleep is a habit you can actually fix. Lead researcher Junhao Wen points out that adjusting your daily routine can help slow down organ aging and protect your overall health.
Health experts recommend three easy steps to boost sleep quality:
1. Stick to a routine: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
2. Ditch the screens: Put the smartphone or tablet away at least an hour before sleeping.
3. Cut late caffeine: Avoid tea, coffee or energy drinks in the late afternoon and evening.
Aiming for roughly seven hours of solid sleep each night gives your body and mind the time they need to recharge, repair and stay young inside.
Note: Recommendations and data are based on studies from the Columbia University research on at health data from around 500,000 people.
