Sleep is associated with telomere shortening: A population-based longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Biogerontology
• Sleep Medicine
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Telomere length (TL) shortens with age and is linked to age-related diseases.
• Inadequate sleep, characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress, is proposed to affect TL.
• Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the association between sleep and TL attrition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal association between sleep-related variables and TL.
• To evaluate how sleep quality, sleep architecture, and oxygen saturation impact TL over 8 years.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the EPISONO cohort, followed for 8 years (n=712).
• Collected sleep data via questionnaires and full-night polysomnography (PSG).
• Measured TL using quantitative real-time PCR, adjusting for covariates like age, BMI, and smoking.

Main Results:

• Baseline SpO2, medium SpO2, and reduced total sleep time (<90%) affected follow-up TL.
• Eight-year TL attrition was inversely associated with total sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep architecture, wake after sleep onset, arousal index, and oxygen levels.
• Presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was linked to greater TL attrition.

Conclusions:

• Worse sleep quality, altered sleep architecture, and OSA are associated with accelerated TL attrition over 8 years.
• These findings support the link between poor sleep and accelerated biological aging.
• Confirms previous cross-sectional evidence using a longitudinal approach.