How Much Sleep You Need When You're 50 Or Older For Healthy Aging

During the decades when you worked, your sleep patterns were probably consistent, aside from occasional sleepless nights when the children were sick. If you're over 50, you might notice you're going to bed a little earlier than when you were in your 20s or 30s. You don't quite have the stamina to stay up past midnight, nor do you care to. Now that you're older, you realize how important it is to get a good night's sleep. Quality sleep helps to reset your brain so you can concentrate the next day. Your health and mood also improve after a good night's rest.

Although you needed a lot more sleep when you were a child and teenager, Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell — a board-certified physician and Certified Sleep Specialist at The Solution Is Sleep LLC — says your adult sleep needs don't change when you get older. "The optimal sleep amount is a range between seven to nine hours for the average adult of any age, however, some will need a little less and many will need a little more," she said. But, getting that recommended seven to nine hours can pose a challenge for older adults because sleep patterns change.

Adults over 60 are more likely to have insomnia, according to the National Institute on Aging. Even if you don't have insomnia, you might find it harder to get to sleep and stay asleep. "Older adults tend to have lighter sleep with less time spent in the deeper stages which are the ones that are more restorative," Holliday-Bell added. "They also tend to have a shift in their circadian rhythm to one that is earlier, leading to more (often unwanted) early morning wakings." According to a 2019 article in Sleep Medicine Clinics, your body produces fewer hormones as you get older, which can cause sleep disruptions. For example, your body releases melatonin in the evening to prepare your body for sleep, but older adults produce less of this hormone. 

Older adults might also find themselves taking long naps during the day, especially if they are retired and no longer have the excessively busy lifestyle they did when they were younger. This may be due to excessive daytime sleepiness, which is linked to depression, pain, and waking up several times a night to pee. Napping during the day and being more sedentary as you get older can disrupt your sleep/wake cycle. About two-thirds of older adults have other conditions such as osteoarthritis, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease that can disrupt sleep. They might also have psychological disorders that are often linked to insomnia. Medications for these medical conditions can also affect sleep.

Holliday-Bell says sleep hygiene is especially important as you get older. "This includes keeping a consistent wake and sleep time, limiting long naps, and limiting caffeine and alcohol intake before bed," she said. She added that melatonin supplements can help improve sleep. Healthy habits such as exercising regularly, keeping your bedroom quiet and comfortable, and avoiding large meals near bedtime can also help you sleep, especially as women transition through menopause. Although factors such as hormonal changes can affect your sleep as you get older, these factors don't get worse after age 60 if you keep yourself in good health, according to the 2019 article in Sleep Medicine Clinics.

While older adults might rely on medications to help them sleep, the National Institutes of Health says these medicines don't cure sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea. "It's also important to be aware of circadian rhythm disorders like advanced sleep phase disorder that disproportionately impact older adults and seek help from a trained sleep medicine provider to realign your circadian rhythm," Holliday-Bell said.