Sleep Sweet Spot for Healthy Aging Found in Half‑Million‑Person Study

A UK Biobank analysis of about 500,000 adults links sleep duration to systemic aging. Using 23 biological aging clocks, researchers found a U‑shaped pattern where roughly 6.4–7.8 hours of sleep per night corresponded to the lowest aging signals across organs (brain, liver, lungs, immune system, skin, endocrine system, adipose tissue, pancreas). Sleeping less than six hours or more than eight hours was associated with faster aging in several clocks, though the exact optimal range varied by organ and sex. The team calls this framework the Sleep Chart, underscoring sleep as a broad, modifiable factor in aging rather than a universal prescription.