Feeling older than you actually are? You might need to fix your sleep schedule

Have you ever felt like you aged overnight when you wake up in the morning? Apparently, it does not mean you’re crazy but you definitely need to fix your sleep schedule.

A recent study by researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden published in the journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, suggests that restless sleep can make you feel up to 10 years older.

The researchers carried out two studies to determine whether sleep could impact how old someone feels.

The first study, involving 429 participants, found that for each additional sleep, subjective age increased by 0.23 years, as the participants recorded their self-perceived age over 30 days.

The second study, where sleep time for 182 participants was limited to four hours per 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 a link between a shift from extremely alert to extremely sleepy state and a 10-year age increase.

The researchers concluded that many people experience feelings of being younger than their actual age.

They wrote: “While this phenomenon is less prevalent among younger individuals, as we venture our thirties and beyond the discrepancy between how old we are and how old we feel becomes more pronounced.

“Emerging research suggests that our sleep 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 health and physical health, and more positive psychological traits.”

“These discoveries open up new possibilities for fostering a youthful feeling,” they added. “Safeguarding sleep is likely a key factor for feeling young.”

According to Healthline, try practicing relaxation techniques, turn off the electronics, stay active during the day, follow a consistent sleep schedule and eat a balanced diet to avoid restless sleep.