Achi news desk-
Have you ever felt like you aged overnight when you wake up in the morning? Apparently, it doesn’t mean you’re crazy but you definitely need to fix your sleep schedule.
A recent study by researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute published in the journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciencessuggests that restless sleep can make you feel up to 10 years older.
The researchers conducted two studies to determine whether sleep could affect how old someone feels.
The first study, involving 429 participants, found that for each additional sleep, subjective age increased by 0.23 years, as participants recorded their self-perceived age over 30 days.
The second study, where the sleeping time of 182 participants was limited to four hours a night over two nights, found that this practice increased their age by 4.44 years compared to those who slept nine hours.
Both studies found an association between a change from being hyper-alert to a hyper-sleepy state and a 10-year increase in age.
The researchers concluded that many people experience feelings of being younger than their actual age.
They wrote: “Although this phenomenon is less common among younger individuals, as we enter our thirties and beyond the discrepancy between how old we are and how old we feel becomes greater obvious
“Emerging research suggests that our sleeping habits may play a role in shaping how old we feel.
“It turns out that feeling younger than our actual age is associated with living longer, better mental and physical health, and more positive psychological traits.”
“These discoveries open up new possibilities for cultivating a youthful feeling,” they added. “Sleep protection is likely to be a key factor in feeling young.”
According to Healthlinetry practicing relaxation techniques, turn off electronics, stay active during the day, follow a regular sleep schedule and eat a balanced diet to avoid restless sleep.
