Two consecutive nights of poor sleep can make individuals feel years older, according to Swedish researchers.
The study revealed that volunteers felt over four years older after just four hours of sleep for two nights.
Conversely, after nine hours of sleep, participants felt an average of three months younger than their real age.
The impact of sleep deprivation goes beyond feeling decrepit, affecting health by encouraging unhealthy habits and reducing social engagement.
Researchers found that for each night of poor sleep, volunteers felt three months older on average, while those with no bad nights felt nearly six years younger.
Morning people tended to feel older when sleep was disrupted, while evening types consistently felt older regardless of sleep quality.
Promising results suggest that feeling younger could lead to benefits such as increased willingness to engage in new experiences and social and physical activity.
Separate research spanning ten years and involving over 4,000 Europeans found that
regular exercise correlated with reduced insomnia risk and better sleep duration.
These findings underscore the immediate impact of sleep on health and highlight the importance of addressing lifestyle factors for long-term well-being.
Regular exercise, at least twice a week for an hour, reduced insomnia risk by 42% and increased likelihood of healthy sleep by 55%, a 10-year study found.
Source: Oman News Agency