Sleep disorders accelerate biological aging through depressive symptoms: Evidence from NHANES.

This study examines the impact of sleep disorders on biological aging using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 2005 and 2014, involving 18,862 U.S. adults aged 20–79. Biological aging was assessed via the Klemera-Doubal method (KDM-BA), depressive symptoms were measured with the PHQ-9 scale, and lifestyle factors included smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. Findings indicate that sleep disorders significantly accelerate biological aging, with depressive symptoms partially mediating this effect, while a healthy lifestyle moderates and reduces both depressive symptoms and biological aging. Subgroup analyses revealed that the impact of sleep disorders on aging is more pronounced among older adults, those with lower education, unmarried individuals, and those with certain health conditions. The study suggests that addressing sleep disorders, depressive symptoms, and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors may help mitigate accelerated biological aging.