A recent study from UCLA Health indicates that older adults with insomnia who underwent cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) experienced significantly better outcomes compared to those who received only sleep education. The study found that participants undergoing CBT-I were nearly three times more likely to achieve remission from insomnia and showed evidence of slower biological aging, measured through three epigenetic clocks using blood samples.
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Although insomnia affects about one-third of adults in the United States, its prevalence rises to 40% in those over 65. This sleep disorder can severely impact daytime functioning, mood, cognition, and overall quality of life. CBT-I, a structured therapy approach, focuses on modifying thoughts and behaviors that hinder sleep, avoiding the side effects commonly associated with sleeping pills.
Published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, the study included nearly 100 adults aged 60 and older with diagnosed insomnia. Participants were randomized into two groups: one receiving CBT-I and the other receiving general sleep education. The researchers noted that those in the CBT-I group experienced a significant reduction in insomnia and a marked slowing of biological aging.
Researchers evaluated biological aging through blood samples collected before the treatment and at follow-ups over two years. The analysis used various aging measures, including DunedinPACE, GrimAge, and PC-PhenoAge. The results showed that the CBT-I group had a notable decrease in biological aging speed, as indicated by DunedinPACE.
Judith Carroll, PhD, lead author of the study, emphasized the importance of treating insomnia not just to improve sleep but also to help safeguard health. She noted that participants in the CBT-I group aged approximately 2% slower with every year, a difference that might hold long-term significance for their health.
While the findings indicate potential health benefits from treating insomnia, they do not confirm that CBT-I can reverse biological aging. Previous research has highlighted connections between insomnia and accelerated biological aging. The mechanisms by which improved sleep could influence biological aging processes remain unclear. Carroll remarked on the necessity of sleep for recovery and repair processes in the body, describing it as a time when the body regulates stress and inflammation, potentially affecting cellular aging.
Despite the promising results, the study's limitations include its small participant size and single-site recruitment, suggesting the need for larger studies with more diverse populations to validate these findings. Future research is also needed to explore whether various insomnia treatments yield similar benefits on biological aging and to investigate any potential differences in responses between genders.