Getting Older? You Should Need Less Sleep

Healthy people need less sleep as they age and are less sleepy during the day than healthy young adults, according to a new study in the journal Sleep.

Researchers from the University of Surrey found that, when spending 8 hours in bed at night, older people slept 20 minutes less than middle-aged people, who slept 23 minutes less than young adults.

Older people woke up more often, and the time spent in deep sleep decreased as people got older, according to a news release on the work.

Because older people were not more sleepy during the day, the researchers said it appears that less sleep is healthy as people age.

The study involved 110 healthy adults without sleep complaints. Twenty to 30 years old was considered young, 40 to 55 was considered middle-aged and those over 66 represented older adults.

According to the authors, the study has implications for the treatment of insomnia in older adults, who may be unaware of their reduced sleep need...

On that note, we'll say good night.

University of Surrey