Longevity & AgingYour Body Clock and Aging Are Deeply Linked — Here's What Science Now Knows
This 2025 review from the University of Murcia explores the emerging concept of 'circadian aging' — the intersection of biological timekeeping and chronological aging. The authors trace how the mammalian circadian clock, governed by genes like CLOCK, BMAL1, PER, and CRY, regulates metabolism, immunity, sleep, and cognition. With age, these rhythms fragment and dampen, accelerating hallmarks of aging. Notably, long-lived species like naked mole-rats maintain robust circadian rhythms throughout life. The review also examines how aging pathways — SIRT1, mTOR, AMPK — are molecularly intertwined with the clock, and how chrono-interventions such as time-restricted feeding and optimized light exposure may restore rhythmicity and improve healthspan.
