A new study suggests your sleep habits may be affecting more than just your energy level. They could also impact how quickly every organ in your body ages.Researchers analyzed data from nearly half a million people in the UK to examine how sleep duration relates to aging across different organ systems.Using advanced “biological aging clocks” powered by machine learning, the team measured aging in 17 systems, including the brain, heart, lungs, liver, and immune system.The findings revealed a U-shaped pattern: people who slept fewer than 6 hours—or more than 8 hours—a night showed signs of faster biological aging throughout the body.The healthiest aging patterns were seen in people who reported sleeping between 6.4 and 7.8 hours per night.Short sleep was linked to a higher risk of many conditions, including depression, anxiety, obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.Both short and long sleep were associated with lung conditions, including COPD and asthma, as well as digestive disorders such as gastritis and acid reflux.Researchers say the findings highlight how deeply sleep is connected to overall body function—not just brain health.The lead author says these findings support the idea that sleep plays an important role in maintaining organ health across the brain and body, including metabolic balance and a healthy immune system.He says future studies will explore whether improving sleep habits could help slow biological aging across different organs.Source: NatureAuthor Affiliations: Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons .Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter