Sleep is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. It is during this time the body restores and rejuvenates.

Adequate sleep has numerous benefits for the mind and body such as bolstering the immune system, improving mental clarity, and enhancing overall quality of life. Sleep requirements vary from person to person and may change with age, but the general consensus is that adults require between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. In this article, we will explore whether the body requires more sleep as age catches up.

Changes in Sleep Requirements with Age

Sleep requirements vary across one’s lifespan. Infants and young children require more sleep than adults because they experience rapid growth and development.

Studies suggest that toddlers need between 11-14 hours of sleep each day, while preschool children need 10-13 hours. School-aged children require 9-11 hours of sleep daily to maintain optimal health and wellbeing, whereas adolescents need 8-10 hours.

Research shows that adults require 7-9 hours of sleep each night. However, as we age, our sleep patterns tend to change. Elderly adults often experience an earlier bedtime and wake up earlier.

Moreover, they may experience a shift in their sleep phases, sleep less deeply, and wake up more often during the night. For instance, the average elderly adult may sleep only six hours each night, compared to young adults who sleep about seven hours.

However, this does not necessarily indicate that ageing adults require less sleep, but it may suggest a shift in their sleep patterns as they age.

Why Do Sleep Requirements Change with Age?

Several factors may influence the changes in sleep requirements as we age.

Changes in Hormones

As we age, our hormone production changes, and this can affect our quality of sleep.

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For instance, the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles, decreases with age, affecting the body’s ability to fall asleep at night and stay awake during the day. Also, levels of growth hormone, the hormone crucial in supporting cell repair and replacement, decrease in production, thus affecting the quantity and quality of sleep.

Chronic Medical Conditions

As we age, the risk of developing chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis increases. These conditions can affect the quality of sleep and lead to insomnia, a condition characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Insomnia can have several risk factors, including chronic pain, medication side effects, and depression.

Changes in Circadian Rhythm

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that occur in the body as a result of the internal clock, which regulates our sleep-wake cycle.

As we age, our circadian rhythms become less efficient, leading to changes in our sleep patterns and a decrease in the quality and quantity of sleep.

Changes in Sleep Architecture

Sleep architecture refers to the distinct stages of sleep that occur during the night. These stages include rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.

As we age, our sleep architecture changes, causing us to experience less deep NREM sleep and more light sleep. The result is waking up frequently during the night, leading to a decreased quality of sleep.

The Bottom Line

The body’s sleep requirements change as we age. While it is true that older adults may sleep less than their younger counterparts, the change in sleep patterns does not necessarily indicate the body requires less sleep.

Instead, it may reflect changes in hormone production, medical conditions, circadian rhythms, and sleep architecture. Therefore, it is essential to understand your body’s sleep requirements and routines to ensure you get adequate and restful sleep each night.