Slower biological aging may tied to getting the same amount of rest each day

"Scientists already knew that sleep can influence aspects of health that are affected by aging, such as cognition, metabolism and the body's ability to repair damaged cells. At the same time, not getting enough rest is linked to accelerated aging and a heightened risk of age-related conditions, such as dementia."

"The new findings suggest that getting the same amount of rest and activity each day without interruption—in other words, getting longer, sustained periods of rest and activity—may be a key to healthier aging."

"Our findings suggest rest-activity rhythms may be useful markers of the rate of physiological aging in adults, said Adam Spira, the study's co-senior author and a professor at Johns Hopkins University."

Research demonstrates that maintaining stable daily patterns of rest and activity may slow biological aging. While scientists previously understood that adequate sleep influences health factors affected by aging—including cognition, metabolism, and cellular repair—insufficient rest accelerates aging and increases risk of age-related conditions like dementia. New findings suggest that consistency matters: obtaining the same amount of rest and activity daily without interruption, characterized by longer sustained periods, appears crucial for healthier aging. Researchers analyzed data from 207 adult participants using wrist-worn activity trackers worn for seven consecutive days, combined with blood tests and participant diaries documenting sleep and rest patterns. Rest-activity rhythms may serve as useful markers for measuring the rate of physiological aging in adults.

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