24 Apr 2013

Your best sleep (when you’re older)

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As we age, the quality and calibre of our sleep changes. Here’s what to expect, and how to improve on your status quo.

Everyday health

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The treat of a deep sleep is an experience that shifts like the tide as we grow older.

As newborns, we’re rarely awake – we clock 16-20 hours a day; from one to four we average 11-12 hours a day; and adolescents need, but not necessarily get, about nine hours a day, says Harvard University in the US.

For the elderly, eight hours of sleep is roughly the amount to aim for. But gaining this in one block is far less likely than it may have been when you were younger.

Nap-shot
As Sleep Disorders Australia (SDA) reports, one study found that 40 per cent of the elderly take at least one nap a day. For those under 80, these tend to last for at least 30 minutes. After that age, naps can last up to an hour.

Sleep becomes ‘choppier’ as we age. You may wake several times during the night. And you might also score a nap after lunch or in the evening, as mentioned above.

SDA says the following: “From young adulthood to old age there is a steady decline in the amount of deep sleep and increase in quiet sleep although the amount of REM sleep remains much the same. It may surprise you to know that in adulthood the total amount of sleep remains the same or slightly increased. Perhaps more importantly to how you feel about your sleep is that the number of awakenings from sleep increases as you age.”

A final change is that it becomes fairly standard for you take a little longer to fall asleep when you’re older – mostly due to your body’s reduced production of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. [

Then naturally, should you have a condition like arthritis or depression, this, too, can keep you awake at night.

Quality snoozing
There’s a fair amount you can do to sleep more soundly, net your eight hours and wake up feeling refreshed, says the SDA. (And on that last point, there’s some more good news about sleep when you’re older. According to the SDA, 80 per cent of elderly adults report that they wake up feeling refreshed. It advises:

Regular Bedtime
A regular sleep schedule is the most important aid to a good night's sleep. Go to bed at about the same time every night, but only when you are tired. Set the alarm clock to wake you at about the same time every morning. Don't sleep in because you have had a poor night's sleep. If you wake early consider getting out of bed and starting your day.

Daytime Naps
Some people find they sleep better with an afternoon nap but if your night-time sleep is disrupted, you may want to try and skip the nap. Avoiding a nap late in the evening might also be a good move; experiment to find your best combination – and try and stick to it.

Exercise
Regular exercise benefits sleep: the best time is in the morning or afternoon.

Watch what you eat
Avoid heavy meals and caffeinated drinks at night. And the old wives’ tale about milk has some validity! Warm milk is likely to help you nod off.

Avoid a night time tipple
Having alcohol at night won’t help you sleep. In fact it can make your sleep more fragmented.

Did you know?
More than 50 per cent of retired adults over the age of 65 sleep between 11pm and 7:30am, gaining at least 7.5 hours sleep per night on average, found a recent study by the University of Pittsburgh.

This contradicts the common belief that the older we are, the earlier we go to bed

References available on request

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