Sleep and Aging
How Sleep Changes with Aging
By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com Guide
Sleep Needs Don’t Change as You Age
There is a myth that older people need less sleep. That is simply not true. All adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. As we age, it gets more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. That doesn’t mean we don’t still need seven to nine hours. One of the challenges to healthy aging is troubleshooting sleep to ensure that we are getting enough rest for good health.
Sleep Changes in Older Adults
For a number of reasons, older people have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. As we age, we may notice some of the following:
