Almost everyone wants to live a long, healthy life. Thanks to advancements in medical science, people are living longer than ever.
According to estimates, the share of the global population aged sixty (60) and more is expected to rise to twenty-two percent (22%) by the year 2050.
Despite the welcome increase in global life expectancy, specialists are worried that the final decades of most people’s lives are spent treating physical, mental, or social problems, which reduces their overall quality of life.
New groundbreaking research suggests that having a consistent sleep pattern may be the answer for older people to live their final years free of health problems.[1]
The Sleep and Healthy Aging Study
In a new, remarkable study, Chinese experts found a link between consistent good sleep patterns and better health in older people.[1]
The gap between healthy life expectancy and actual lifespan inspired many in the scientific community to find the secret to healthy aging.
Healthy life expectancy is the years an older person lives free of long-term physical illnesses, mental disorders, and other problems.
In 2019, China’s average life expectancy was 77.6 years, while the healthy life expectancy was 68.4 years, showing a gap of almost 9 years.
For their study, the researchers surveyed over 6000 Chinese people who were illness-free at the start of the study in 2011 and were over 60 years old at the end of 2020.
The scientists used self-reported questionnaires on sleep habits to find out how long people slept. They added up the time the participants spent sleeping at night and taking afternoon naps. They also checked the participants’ sleep patterns at set times (2011, 2013, and 2015) to see how their sleep habits changed over time.
After analyzing the sleep data, the experts identified five (5) sleep patterns among the participants. They include normal-stable, long-stable, short-stable, decreasing, and increasing sleep patterns.
Similarly, the researcher described successful aging with five (5) criteria. They include no chronic illnesses, like heart problems and diabetes; ability to do daily activities without help; excellent cognitive function; sound mental health; and social wellness.
To assess the participants’ physical functioning, Scientists asked them if they needed help with six daily activities, including getting dressed, eating, getting into or out of bed, using the toilet, and controlling urination and defecation. People who couldn’t do any of the six tasks on their own were thought to have a physical function impairment.
Similarly, the researcher assessed the respondents’ social wellness by checking whether they had gone out with friends or engaged in a community event in the past month.
On the other hand, the researchers assessed the mental health and cognition of the participants with standardized instruments.
Next, the experts checked how well the participants met these standards for healthy aging. The study’s findings revealed that only 455 individuals (13.8%) out of 3306 remaining participants in the final analysis met the criteria for successful aging.
Meanwhile, more than 2000 respondents were identified as having no major chronic diseases (81.0%) or physical dysfunction (76.4%) at the end of the study.
In the same vein, 1,870 (56.6%) had high cognitive function, 1,990 (60.2%) had good mental health, and 1,458 (44.1%) were actively engaged with life.
The experts also examined how well the different sleep pattern categories aged in their analysis. The results showed that the group with normal-stable sleep patterns had the highest successful aging rates (18.1%).
Meanwhile, both normal and long-stable sleep patterns benefit effective aging. In contrast, short, stable, increasing, and declining sleep patterns reduced the odds of healthy aging.
Also, the results showed that sleeping less than seven hours a night lowers the chances of aging well. So did having a lot of changes in sleep length. These results held true regardless of demographic variables such as age, gender, body mass index, etc.
On the study’s relevance, the scientists stressed that sleep duration and variability over time are vital for health.
“Shorter and longer sleep durations can affect aging outcomes. Also, big fluctuations in sleep duration are linked to less successful aging,” researchers reiterated [1].
How Does Sleep Affect Aging?
The science is precise: optimal sleep improves health. We can’t stop getting older, but a good night’s sleep can make it more pleasant. Here are some ways a stable sleep pattern improves healthy aging and longevity.
1) Sleep Improves Immunity and Cell Repair
Good sleep strengthens the immune system, which is vital for fighting infections and repairing damaged cells and tissues.[2,3]
In addition, when you sleep, your body creates chemicals and hormones that help you look younger and feel healthier. Also, research has shown that even one night of insufficient sleep can speed up the aging process in some body cells.[4]
2)Sleep Preserves Heart Health
Heart disease is one of the most common illnesses worldwide, especially among older people. Sleep is good for heart health.
Several studies have linked lack of sleep to harmful, long-term diseases. [5,6] These include sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and heart attacks.
Not getting enough sleep can cause these diseases and make their symptoms worse. It can also make the medication less effective.
3) Sleep Protects Mental Health and Cognition
As people age, it usually gets more challenging for them to remember things.
According to experts, one of the most important things you can do to keep your mind as sharp as possible is to get enough sleep every night. [7]
Getting enough sleep has also been shown to help with both learning and remembering things.
Not getting enough unbroken sleep might hurt the brain. It could hurt memory and skills like problem-solving and attention to detail.
Aside from that, sleep keeps the brain’s physical health. During sleep, the brain gets rid of toxins that have built up, such as harmful proteins linked to Alzheimer’s and other long-term illnesses.[8,9]
How to Harness Sleep for a Longer, Healthier Life
Aging gracefully with sleep isn’t about perfection. It’s about being intentional with your habits. Here are some ways you can harness sleep for healthy aging and longevity.
- Stick to a Sleep Routine: Go to bed and wake up at a set time each day. Consistency helps regulate your body’s internal clock, making falling and staying asleep easier.
- Exercise: People who exercise daily find it easier to fall asleep and sleep for longer hours. Staying active daily is one of the best things you can do for your health.
- Watch What You Eat and Drink at Bedtime: Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime. Instead, try calming teas or a light snack to signal your body it’s time to wind down.
- Address Sleep Issues Early: Snoring, gasping during sleep, or feeling unrefreshed after a whole night’s sleep could be signs of sleep apnea or other sleep disorders. Consult your doctor if these issues persist.
Conclusion
Aging is inevitable. But a regular sleep routine could help you live a long, healthy life.
References
- Tian, L., Ding, P., Kuang, X., Ai, W., & Shi, H. (2024). The association between sleep duration trajectories and successful aging: a population-based cohort study. BMC Public Health, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20524-7
- Opp, M. R., & Krueger, J. M. (2015). Sleep and immunity: A growing field with clinical impact. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 47, 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2015.03.011
- Hindawi. (n.d.-b). The Bidirectional Relationship between sleep and immunity against infections. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2015/678164/
- Ancoli-Israel, S., & Alessi, C. (2005). Sleep and aging. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 13(5), 341–343. https://doi.org/10.1097/00019442-200505000-00001
- Itani, O., Jike, M., Watanabe, N., & Kaneita, Y. (2017). Short sleep duration and health outcomes: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Sleep Medicine, 32, 246–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2016.08.00
- Javaheri, S., & Redline, S. (2017). Insomnia and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease. Chest, 152(2), 435–444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2017.01.026
- Rasch, B., & Born, J. (2013). About sleep’s role in memory. Physiological reviews, 93(2), 681–766. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00032.2012
- Komaroff, A. L. (2021). Does sleep flush wastes from the brain? JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 325(21), 2153–2155. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.5631
- Peter-Derex, L., Yammine, P., Bastuji, H., & Croisile, B. (2015). Sleep and Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 19, 29–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.03.007
