Science

Too Little or Too Much Sleep May Speed Up Ageing, Study Finds

Published: 2 September 2026 · 1 min read

What Happened

A large study of nearly 500,000 adults found that both short sleep (under 6 hours) and long sleep (over 8 hours) are linked to faster biological ageing across multiple organs, including the brain, heart, lungs and immune system. Researchers found the slowest rate of ageing among people who regularly slept between 6.4 and 7.8 hours a night.

Key Takeaways

The findings suggest that sleep duration plays a crucial role in healthy ageing. Both insufficient and excessive sleep were associated with higher risks of health problems and faster organ ageing, highlighting the importance of maintaining a balanced sleep routine.

Sources

The Week