Sleep disturbances, shift work, and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults: findings from the Young Finns study
Abstract Background Sleep disturbances are known to have adverse effects on health, but knowledge on the effect of sleep disturbances on epigenetic ageing is limited. We investigated (1) whether symptoms of insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea, sleep deprivation, and circadian rhythm lateness are asso...
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Clinical Epigenetics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-025-01860-w |
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| author | Ida Autio Aino Saarinen Saara Marttila Emma Raitoharju Pashupati P. Mishra Nina Mononen Mika Kähönen Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen Olli Raitakari Terho Lehtimäki |
| author_facet | Ida Autio Aino Saarinen Saara Marttila Emma Raitoharju Pashupati P. Mishra Nina Mononen Mika Kähönen Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen Olli Raitakari Terho Lehtimäki |
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| description | Abstract Background Sleep disturbances are known to have adverse effects on health, but knowledge on the effect of sleep disturbances on epigenetic ageing is limited. We investigated (1) whether symptoms of insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea, sleep deprivation, and circadian rhythm lateness are associated with epigenetic ageing, and (2) whether years spent in shift work moderates these associations. Methods We used the population-based Young Finns data (n = 1618). Epigenetic clocks such as AgeDevHannum, AgeDevHorvath, AgeDevPheno, AgeDevGrim, and DunedinPACE were utilized to measure epigenetic ageing. Sleep was evaluated using various validated self-report questionnaires. Covariates included sex, array type, smoking status, health behaviours, socioeconomic factors, and cardiovascular health factors. Results Among the various sleep measures, obstructive sleep apnoea symptoms were most consistently linked to accelerated epigenetic ageing, as measured by AgeDevGrim and DunedinPACE. Insomnia, sleep deprivation, and years spent in shift work were not associated with epigenetic ageing after adjusting for health-related or socioeconomic covariates. Additionally, we found interactions between years spent in shift work and sleep disturbances when accounting for epigenetic ageing. Among those with little to no history of shift work, both insomnia and sleep deprivation were associated with more accelerated epigenetic ageing in AgeDevGrim when compared to long-term shift workers. However, the pace of epigenetic ageing (measured with DunedinPACE) appears to be higher in those with both sleep deprivation and longer history of shift work. Conclusions Among various sleep measures, symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea appear to be most consistently associated with accelerated epigenetic ageing even after adjusting for various health-related and socioeconomic factors. Shift work seems to have a crucial role in the relationship between sleep disturbances and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e458b0b541a4485b8d49811bc38259af |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1868-7083 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Epigenetics |
| spelling | doaj-art-e458b0b541a4485b8d49811bc38259af2025-08-20T02:25:40ZengBMCClinical Epigenetics1868-70832025-04-0117111310.1186/s13148-025-01860-wSleep disturbances, shift work, and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults: findings from the Young Finns studyIda Autio0Aino Saarinen1Saara Marttila2Emma Raitoharju3Pashupati P. Mishra4Nina Mononen5Mika Kähönen6Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen7Olli Raitakari8Terho Lehtimäki9Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of HelsinkiDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of HelsinkiMolecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Cardiovascular Research Center Tampere, Tampere UniversityMolecular Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Cardiovascular Research Center Tampere, Tampere UniversityDepartment of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Cardiovascular Research Center Tampere, Tampere UniversityDepartment of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Cardiovascular Research Center Tampere, Tampere UniversityDepartment of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of HelsinkiResearch Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of TurkuDepartment of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Cardiovascular Research Center Tampere, Tampere UniversityAbstract Background Sleep disturbances are known to have adverse effects on health, but knowledge on the effect of sleep disturbances on epigenetic ageing is limited. We investigated (1) whether symptoms of insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea, sleep deprivation, and circadian rhythm lateness are associated with epigenetic ageing, and (2) whether years spent in shift work moderates these associations. Methods We used the population-based Young Finns data (n = 1618). Epigenetic clocks such as AgeDevHannum, AgeDevHorvath, AgeDevPheno, AgeDevGrim, and DunedinPACE were utilized to measure epigenetic ageing. Sleep was evaluated using various validated self-report questionnaires. Covariates included sex, array type, smoking status, health behaviours, socioeconomic factors, and cardiovascular health factors. Results Among the various sleep measures, obstructive sleep apnoea symptoms were most consistently linked to accelerated epigenetic ageing, as measured by AgeDevGrim and DunedinPACE. Insomnia, sleep deprivation, and years spent in shift work were not associated with epigenetic ageing after adjusting for health-related or socioeconomic covariates. Additionally, we found interactions between years spent in shift work and sleep disturbances when accounting for epigenetic ageing. Among those with little to no history of shift work, both insomnia and sleep deprivation were associated with more accelerated epigenetic ageing in AgeDevGrim when compared to long-term shift workers. However, the pace of epigenetic ageing (measured with DunedinPACE) appears to be higher in those with both sleep deprivation and longer history of shift work. Conclusions Among various sleep measures, symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea appear to be most consistently associated with accelerated epigenetic ageing even after adjusting for various health-related and socioeconomic factors. Shift work seems to have a crucial role in the relationship between sleep disturbances and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-025-01860-wBiological ageingEpigenetic clockShift workInsomniaObstructive sleep apnoeaChronotype |
| spellingShingle | Ida Autio Aino Saarinen Saara Marttila Emma Raitoharju Pashupati P. Mishra Nina Mononen Mika Kähönen Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen Olli Raitakari Terho Lehtimäki Sleep disturbances, shift work, and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults: findings from the Young Finns study Clinical Epigenetics Biological ageing Epigenetic clock Shift work Insomnia Obstructive sleep apnoea Chronotype |
| title | Sleep disturbances, shift work, and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults: findings from the Young Finns study |
| title_full | Sleep disturbances, shift work, and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults: findings from the Young Finns study |
| title_fullStr | Sleep disturbances, shift work, and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults: findings from the Young Finns study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sleep disturbances, shift work, and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults: findings from the Young Finns study |
| title_short | Sleep disturbances, shift work, and epigenetic ageing in working-age adults: findings from the Young Finns study |
| title_sort | sleep disturbances shift work and epigenetic ageing in working age adults findings from the young finns study |
| topic | Biological ageing Epigenetic clock Shift work Insomnia Obstructive sleep apnoea Chronotype |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-025-01860-w |
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