How sleep changes with age and what to do about it
Sleep
Key points
- Deep sleep decreases and awakenings increase with age.
- Most changes occur before about age 60.
- Adults 65+ are advised to sleep 7 to 8 hours.
- Severe daytime sleepiness or insomnia is not a normal part of aging.
What the research shows
Changes across the lifespan. A meta-analysis of sleep studies in healthy people aged 5 to 102 found that total sleep time, sleep efficiency and deep sleep decline with age, while time awake after falling asleep increases. Most changes occurred by about age 60, with only small changes afterward (Ohayon et al., 2004).
How much to sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 8 hours for adults 65 and older (Hirshkowitz et al., 2015).
Sleeping pills. A meta-analysis of sedative hypnotics in older adults found that improvements in sleep were small, while the risk of adverse events such as memory problems, daytime fatigue, falls and accidents was significantly higher (Glass et al., 2005).
What helps
- Keep a regular schedule and get outdoor light during the day.
- Stay physically and socially active.
- Limit naps to 20 minutes in the early afternoon.
- Limit caffeine, alcohol and evening fluids.
- Ask about CBT-I for persistent insomnia.
Frequently asked questions
Do older adults need less sleep?
Not much less. Recommendations are 7 to 8 hours for adults 65 and older, compared with 7 to 9 for younger adults.
Are sleeping pills safe for older adults?
A meta-analysis found that the risks, such as falls and memory problems, often outweigh the small benefits. CBT-I is preferred.
Sources
- Ohayon et al. (2004). Meta-Analysis of Quantitative Sleep Parameters From Childhood to Old Age in Healthy Individuals: Developing Normative Sleep Values Across the Human Lifespan. Sleep 27(7):1255-1273. doi:10.1093/sleep/27.7.1255
- Hirshkowitz et al. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health 1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010
- Glass et al. (2005). Sedative hypnotics in older people with insomnia: meta-analysis of risks and benefits. BMJ 331(7526):1169. doi:10.1136/bmj.38623.768588.47
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