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Feeling older than your age? It may be a sign of sleep issues

Study finds more cases of insomnia among people in that group

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Mark Huffman
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Mark Huffman has covered consumer issues since 2004, with a special focus on protecting and empowering older adults. A former news correspondent for the Associated Press Radio Network, Westwood One, and ConsumerAffairs, Mark brings decades of journalistic experience to RetirementLiving.com. He is passionate about giving consumers a voice and helping them make informed decisions. Mark has also created educational content, including Senior Scam Alert, a video resource designed to help seniors recognize and avoid fraud. He holds a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and lives with his family in Richmond, Virginia.

Updated:

key insights:

  • Adults who feel older than their actual age are more likely to experience insomnia symptoms, irregular sleep patterns, and daytime impairment, according to new research.
  • Researchers found the relationship remained significant even after accounting for factors such as chronological age, depression, and anxiety.
  • Poor sleep may help explain why people with an older subjective age also report worse physical health.

People who feel older than their actual age may be more likely to struggle with sleep problems and reduced daytime functioning, according to new research being presented at SLEEP 2026, the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

The study found that adults whose perceived age exceeded their chronological age reported more insomnia symptoms, poorer sleep regularity, greater sleep-related impairment, and lower overall sleep health than those who felt their age or younger. Researchers say the findings suggest that subjective age — how old a person feels — may be an important indicator of sleep health and overall well-being.

The research was led by Joseph Dzierzewski, senior vice president of research and scientific affairs at the National Sleep Foundation. According to the study, the gap between felt age and actual age, known as “age discrepancy,” predicted every sleep outcome examined, even after researchers controlled for chronological age, sex, race, depression, and anxiety. 

“Adults who felt older than their actual age consistently reported poorer sleep outcomes, including more insomnia symptoms, less regular sleep, and greater daytime impairment,” Dzierzewski said.

Health effects

Researchers also found evidence that sleep may play a role in linking subjective age to physical health. Mediation analyses showed that feeling older was associated with poorer self-reported physical health through increased insomnia severity, reduced sleep regularity, and greater sleep-related impairment.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence connecting sleep quality with perceptions of aging. Previous research has shown that sleep deprivation can make people feel older, while healthy sleep habits are associated with better physical and cognitive functioning. 

The authors said the results suggest that subjective age may provide clinicians and researchers with a useful way to identify individuals who could be at risk for sleep problems and related health issues.