Brains Can Appear a Year Older Due to Common Lifestyle Factor, New Research Reveals
Stockholm, Sweden – A new study of nearly 27,000 individuals has revealed a surprising link between a widespread habit and accelerated brain aging. Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that a specific group of participants exhibited brain scans indicating their brains were approximately one year older than their actual age, as persistent by their birth certificates. The culprit? Insufficient sleep.
The findings, published initially in Wetenschap in Beeld, highlight the critical importance of sleep for maintaining brain health and could have meaningful implications for understanding and mitigating age-related cognitive decline. While the study doesn’t establish a causal relationship, the correlation is strong enough to warrant attention, particularly as sleep deprivation becomes increasingly common in modern society. This research underscores that lifestyle choices directly impact brain health, and offers actionable insights for protecting cognitive function as we age.
Neuro-epidemiologist Abigail Dove, leading the research at the Aging Research Center, initially noticed the anomaly while analyzing extensive scan data. “If your brain is older than your actual age, that can be a sign that your aging process isn’t entirely healthy,” dove explained.Further investigation pinpointed a common, frequently enough-overlooked routine as the key differentiator among the participants with older-appearing brains.
Dove and her team discovered that individuals consistently getting inadequate sleep were more likely to show signs of accelerated brain aging on scans. The study did not specify the exact amount of sleep considered “inadequate,” but emphasizes the importance of prioritizing sufficient rest.
Based on these findings, Dove is now sharing three practical tips for daily life to help protect and maintain brain health. The research team plans to continue investigating the long-term effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function and explore potential interventions to reverse or slow down the aging process in the brain.
