Miya Pearson
It is a common misconception that older adults require less sleep than younger individuals. While older people tend to sleep for a shorter time than their younger counterparts, this does not mean they need less sleep. In fact, researchers estimate that between 40% and 70% of older adults have chronic sleep issues. So, do older people need less sleep? Or are there other factors at play?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Older people sleep for fewer hours | On average, older people sleep for a shorter time than younger people |
| Difficulty falling asleep | Half of older people report some kind of sleep disturbance, with between a quarter and a third experiencing insomnia |
| Circadian rhythm disruption | Studies have shown that the body clock shifts, causing older people to wake up earlier in the morning and go to bed earlier at night |
| Sleep quality | Older people's sleep quality is not as good as when they were younger |
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What You'll Learn
- Older people's body clocks may prevent them from sleeping during the day
- Older people sleep for fewer hours than their younger friends
- Half of older people report some kind of sleep disturbance
- Circadian rhythms are disrupted by the ageing process
- The quality of sleep is not as good as when people were younger
Older people's body clocks may prevent them from sleeping during the day
It is a common belief that older people need less sleep. However, it is difficult to establish how much sleep people of different ages need. While older people may sleep for a shorter time than their younger counterparts, this does not necessarily mean that they need less sleep.
Additionally, older people often experience sleep disturbances, with up to half reporting some kind of issue and a quarter to a third experiencing insomnia. There are two main difficulties: falling asleep at the start of the night and then waking up too early in the morning, unable to get back to sleep. Medical conditions or physical discomfort can exacerbate these sleep difficulties, but many find that even without these disturbances, sleep still eludes them for part of the night.
While some argue that daytime napping contributes to older people's difficulty in sleeping at night, others refute this, stating that excessive daytime sleepiness should not be accepted as an inevitable part of ageing.
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Older people sleep for fewer hours than their younger friends
It is a common misconception that older people need less sleep than their younger friends. While older people do sleep for fewer hours on average, this does not necessarily mean that they need less sleep. In fact, older adults may have a harder time getting the sleep they need, and it is much harder to enjoy your later years if you are constantly exhausted and sleep-deprived.
There are many reasons why older adults may have trouble sleeping. For example, they may have unique sleep problems that they didn't have when they were younger. Additionally, changes in the processes underlying circadian rhythms as we age could play a role. However, more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between age and sleep needs.
It is important to note that feeling excessively sleepy during the day should not be accepted as an inevitable part of ageing. If you are an older adult struggling to get enough sleep, there are ways to help you get a better night's rest. For example, a Cochrane review found that cognitive behavioural interventions for sleep problems in adults over 60 can be effective in some cases and are worth considering as an alternative to sleeping pills.
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Half of older people report some kind of sleep disturbance
It is a common belief that older people need less sleep. However, it is difficult to establish how much sleep people of different ages need. While older people sleep for a shorter time than their younger counterparts, this does not necessarily mean that they need less sleep. As many as half of older people report some kind of sleep disturbance, with between a quarter to a third experiencing insomnia. There seem to be two main difficulties: falling asleep at the start of the night and then waking up too early in the morning and finding it impossible to get back to sleep.
One hypothesis is that the ageing process disrupts the circadian rhythm, causing older people to wake earlier than they should. Studies have shown that the body clock does seem to shift, leading people to wake earlier in the morning and go to bed earlier at night. They might still need the same amount of sleep, but they can't get it, and when they do fall asleep, the quality of sleep is not as good as when they were younger.
Sometimes people say that the reason older people can't sleep at night is that they've spent part of the day napping. However, others argue that feeling excessively sleepy during the daytime should not be accepted as an inevitable aspect of ageing. Insomnia in the retired is not always taken seriously by doctors.
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Circadian rhythms are disrupted by the ageing process
It is a common belief that older people need less sleep. However, it is difficult to establish how much sleep people of different ages need. While older people do sleep for fewer hours, this does not necessarily mean that they need less sleep. Many older people experience sleep disturbances, with between a quarter and a third suffering from insomnia.
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The quality of sleep is not as good as when people were younger
It is a common belief that older people need less sleep. However, it is difficult to establish how much sleep people of different ages need. While older people tend to sleep for a shorter time than younger people, this does not necessarily mean that they need less sleep.
Many older people report sleep disturbances, with between a quarter and a third experiencing insomnia. The two main difficulties are falling asleep at the start of the night and then waking up too early in the morning and being unable to get back to sleep.
One hypothesis is that the ageing process disrupts the body's circadian rhythms, causing older people to wake earlier than they should. Studies have shown that the body clock does indeed shift, leading older people to wake earlier in the morning and go to bed earlier at night. They might still need the same amount of sleep, but they can't get it, and when they do fall asleep, the quality of sleep is not as good as when they were younger.
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Frequently asked questions
No, this is a common misconception. While older people may sleep for fewer hours, this does not mean they need less sleep.
One hypothesis is that the ageing process disrupts their circadian rhythms, causing them to wake earlier than they should.
Older people still need at least seven hours of sleep per night, just like most adults.
A Cochrane review found that cognitive behavioural interventions can be effective in treating sleep problems in adults over the age of 60 and are worth considering as an alternative to sleeping pills.
