Sleep patterns and DNA methylation age acceleration in middle-aged and older Chinese adults

May 29, 2025Clinical epigenetics

Sleep patterns linked to faster biological aging in middle-aged and older Chinese adults

AI simplified

Longevity & Aging on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Abstract

Each 1-point increase in sleep score was associated with significantly lower PhenoAge acceleration (β = -0.208; 95% CI -0.369 to -0.047).

Higher sleep scores, which indicate healthier sleep patterns, are linked to lower .
The associations between sleep scores and lower PhenoAge acceleration are stronger in older adults.
Chronological age modifies the relationship between higher sleep scores and lower measures of DNA methylation age.
A slower rate of biological aging () was found to mediate a portion of the link between better sleep and reduced risk of all-cause mortality.
Individuals with healthier sleep patterns may experience benefits in aging and a potential reduction in premature mortality risk.

AI simplified

BACKGROUND: Sleep is a biological necessity and fundamental to health. However, the associations of sleep patterns (integrating sleep determinants) with (DNAm AA) remain unknown. We aimed to investigate the associations of sleep patterns with DNAm AA.

METHODS: This cross-sectional and prospective cohort study used data from the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort collected from 2013 to December 31, 2018. Sleep patterns were reflected by sleep scores (range 0-4, with higher scores indicating healthier sleep patterns) characterized by bedtime, sleep duration, sleep quality, and midday napping. DNAm AA was estimated by PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel), GrimAge acceleration (GrimAgeAccel), , and DNAm mortality risk score (DNAm MS). Linear regression models were used to estimate β and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the cross-sectional associations between sleep patterns and DNAm AA. Mediation models were applied to assess the mediating role of DNAm AA in the associations between sleep patterns and all-cause mortality in a prospective cohort.

RESULTS: Among 3566 participants (mean age 65.5 years), 426 participants died during a mean 5.4-year follow-up. A higher sleep score was associated with lower DNAm AA in a dose-response manner. Each 1-point increase in sleep score was associated with significantly lower PhenoAgeAccel (β = - 0.208; 95% CI - 0.369 to - 0.047), GrimAgeAccel (β = - 0.107; 95% CI - 0.207 to - 0.007), DunedinPACE (β = - 0.008; 95% CI - 0.012 to - 0.004), and DNAm MS (β = - 0.019; 95% CI - 0.030 to - 0.008). Chronological age modified the associations between higher sleep scores and lower PhenoAgeAccel (p for interaction = 0.031) and DunedinPACE (p for interaction = 0.027), with stronger associations observed in older adults. Moreover, a slower DunedinPACE mediated 6.2% (95% CI 0.8% to 11.5%) of the association between a higher sleep score and a lower all-cause mortality risk.

CONCLUSION: In this cohort study, individuals with a higher sleep score had a slower DNAm AA, particularly in older adults. A slower DunedinPACE partially explained the association between higher sleep scores and lower all-cause mortality risk. These findings suggest that adopting healthy sleep patterns may promote healthy aging and further benefit premature mortality prevention, highlighting the value of sleep patterns as a potential tool for clinical management in aging.

Key numbers

-0.208

Decrease in PhenoAgeAccel per sleep score increase

Each 1-point increase in sleep score correlates with lower PhenoAgeAccel.

-0.107

Decrease in GrimAgeAccel per sleep score increase

Each 1-point increase in sleep score correlates with lower GrimAgeAccel.

6.2%

Proportion of association mediated by

mediates the association between sleep score and all-cause mortality risk.

Full Text

We can’t show the full text here under this license. Use the link below to read it at the source.

View full text (PDF) ↗View full text (HTML) ↗

Sleep patterns and DNA methylation age acceleration in middle-aged and older Chinese adults

Abstract

Key numbers

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the longevity & aging brief

Abstract

Key numbers

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the longevity & aging brief