Twenty-Four–Hour Rest-Activity Rhythms and Epigenetic Age Acceleration in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Are wrist actigraphy–derived 24-hour rest-activity rhythm characteristics associated with DNA methylation–based epigenetic age acceleration in middle-aged and older adults?In this cross-sectional study of 207 adults from the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study, stronger and more regular rhythms were associated with lower GrimAge and/or PhenoAge acceleration, whereas greater fragmentation and greater day-to-day timing variability were associated with higher acceleration. Timing metrics added nonredundant information, and associations varied by age, sex, and race and ethnicity.The findings suggest that behavioral circadian rhythms measured by actigraphy may serve as scalable markers of biological aging and potential targets for rhythm-enhancing interventions.

Corresponding Authors: Adam P. Spira, PhD (aspira@jhu.edu), and Brion S. Maher, PhD (brion@jhu.edu), Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205.

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