Sleep Duration Speeds Biological Aging | Science News

Science News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 24, 2026 · 1m

New research from Columbia University reveals that both too little and too much sleep can accelerate biological aging across every major organ system — from brain and heart to lungs and immune system. The sweet spot for healthy aging? Six and a half to just under eight hours nightly. Using “aging clocks” to measure biological age, scientists found consistent links between extreme sleep durations and faster cellular aging, plus serious health risks like anxiety, obesity, heart disease, respiratory issues, and digestive problems. While sleep may not be the direct cause of aging, it’s a powerful…