An unexpected link has been discovered between poor sleep and accelerated brain aging.

EBioMedicine: Poor sleep may be linked to accelerated brain aging.

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Scientists from the Karolinska Institute (Sweden) have concluded that sleep disorders can cause premature aging of the brain. The study's findings were published in EBioMedicine.

The study analyzed data from 27,500 middle-aged and older participants from the UK Biobank who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using specialized machine learning algorithms, the researchers calculated the brain's "biological age" and compared it with its actual age.

Sleep quality was assessed using five criteria: individual circadian rhythm patterns (early and late types), sleep duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime sleepiness. It turned out that people with low sleep index scores had brains that looked, on average, a year older than their actual age. Each decrease in this index by one unit was associated with accelerated brain aging of approximately six months.

Furthermore, a link has been identified between sleep disturbances and chronic low-grade inflammation, which accounts for approximately 10% of the premature aging effect of the brain. Researchers suggest that the mechanism may involve other factors, such as disruptions in the brain's "cleaning system," which is most active during sleep, as well as the impact of sleep on cardiovascular health.

Lead author of the study, Abigail Dove, emphasized that improving sleep quality offers the opportunity to slow down the brain's aging process and reduce the likelihood of cognitive impairment.