On the Role of Sleep in the Aging Processes

Sleep, as a fundamental requirement for the body’s well-being, plays a crucial role in various essential biological processes. Aging is one of the natural biological processes that affects all functions of the human body. The relationship between sleep and aging has been the subject of significant interest of researchers in recent years. The work discusses modern views on the role of sleep in the aging processes and its geroprotective potential. The work provides data on studying the effect of sleep disorders on hallmarks of aging. The influence of sleep deprivation, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on nine hallmarks of aging according to the classification developed by López-Otín et al., is discussed: genomic instability, telomere attrition, loss of proteostasis, epigenetic alterations, dysregulated nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, stem cell exhaustion, cellular senescence, and altered intracellular communication. Data on somnological biomarkers and their relationship to the brain age index are also provided, and the influence of sleep on the formation of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, is discussed. One of the sections is a review of published data on the significance of circadian rhythms in the development of neurodegeneration and aging processes. The use of light therapy and melatonin is considered as a geroprotective methods. In conclusion, the work discusses the importance of developing the area of gerontosomnology.