Insufficient sleep might make you feel older than your actual age by five to 10 years, as per two recent studies.
Leonie Balter, a sleep researcher at Stockholm University and the lead author of both studies, emphasized the crucial role of sleep in determining one’s perceived age.
While health issues and reduced mobility can contribute to premature aging, the studies, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, highlight how inadequate sleep can also play a significant role in this perception.
According to Balter, insufficient sleep induces feelings of sleepiness, impacting motivation and energy levels, which are essential for remaining physically and socially active—key components of feeling youthful.
Dr. Chang-Ho Yun, a neurology professor at Seoul National University, underscores the importance of adequate sleep in maintaining a subjective sense of youthfulness, benefiting both mental and physical health.
Feeling younger has been associated with various positive outcomes, including longevity, lower dementia risk, reduced depression, and better overall well-being.
In their research, Balter and her team found that poor sleep quality over a month led individuals to feel older than their chronological age, whereas adequate sleep resulted in feeling younger.
Another study conducted on sleep-deprived participants showed a significant increase in the subjective experience of aging, emphasizing the detrimental effects of severe sleep deprivation on one’s perception of age.
Although the exact timeline for recovery from poor sleep remains uncertain, Balter suggests that alleviating sleepiness may have an immediate impact on subjective age, while ensuring sufficient and quality sleep is crucial for long-lasting effects.
The study also found that sleep chronotype, whether one is an early bird or a night owl, influences the perception of age, with early birds feeling older than their counterparts. However, adequate sleep helped early birds feel younger.
In conclusion, prioritizing adequate sleep is essential for overall well-being, and seeking professional evaluation and treatment for sleep disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea is crucial for maintaining a youthful outlook on life.