Our sleep patterns change as we age. The time it takes to fall asleep lengthens as we age. This process starts early in adulthood and increases over time. Research demonstrates that between 20 and 30 the slow wave or deep sleep decreases by about 50%. By the age of 40, we have continued to have significant changes in our deep sleep. The length of time that we sleep when we are in bed also decreases with age.
Seniors and younger individuals spent the same time in bed, but the quality of the sleep is very different for each group. Both groups spend about 20% of their time in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This stage of sleep has been described as an “active brain in a paralyzed body.” Your brain races, thinking and dreaming, your eyes dart back and forth, your body temperature, respiration, pulse and blood pressure rise. Scientists believe that REM sleep helps restore your mind by helping to clear out unimportant information. In fact, without REM sleep our ability to process information is impacted.
In the senior, deep sleep or slow wave sleep is often impaired. Young people spend about 20% of their time in this stage. In those over 65, slow wave sleep is nearly absent. It is estimated that seniors have less than 5% slow wave sleep. When the slow wave sleep is impaired, one awakens feeling less rested and refreshed.
If you hear that seniors need less sleep than young people, it is not true. Neither young nor old can function well without adequate sleep. The suggested amount of time for sleep daily is 7.5 to 8 hours in a 24 hour period. As we age, it takes longer to fall asleep. We tend to sleep in the more shallow stages of sleep and have more frequent awakenings. Supplementing sleep with daytime naps is successful, but single, longer naps are more appropriate than cat naps for only a few minutes. You can accumulate the amount of sleep needed for healthy functioning.
If you are worried about your own or your loved one's sleep patterns, contact me for more information about how sleep affects seniors.