AI study finds 6 to 8 hours sleep slows aging
A massive new study found that getting between 6 and 8 hours of sleep each night could actually help slow down how fast your body ages.
Researchers tracked about 500,000 people and used artificial intelligence, or AI, to measure aging in different organs.
Both too little sleep (under 6 hours) and too much (over 8 hours) seemed to speed up the aging process, with the sweet spot being around 6.4 to 7.8 hours.
Balanced sleep could protect health
Short sleep was linked with higher risks of depression, anxiety, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart problems, and even issues like asthma and acid reflux.
Long sleep was linked to lung problems like COPD and asthma, as well as stomach issues such as acid reflux.
As lead researcher Junhao Wen put it, "Sleep duration is part of our entire physiology, with far-reaching effects across the body," he said.
The takeaway? Consistent, balanced sleep could be one of the simplest ways to protect both your mind and body as you age.