How Age Can Impact Quality of Sleep

CLEVELAND - If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, your age could be playing a role.

Brian Chen, MD, sleep specialist at Cleveland Clinic explains why it can be harder for older adults to get a good night’s rest. 

“Overall, we tend to get less sleep as we get older. The average amount, the normal amount of sleep that somebody gets over their lifespan, decreases over time, and it gets choppier in the middle of the night. On top of that, there may be certain medical issues that people are dealing with, like an enlarged prostate or hot flashes that can increase the number of disturbances in the middle of the night,” said Dr. Chen.

There are other biological factors involved too, like a change in a person’s sleep-wake cycle. 

Meaning, they may start to naturally go to bed earlier which can make them wake up a lot earlier in the morning.

Dr. Chen said while some sleep disturbances are to be expected as you age, it shouldn’t impact your quality of life. 

If it is, then it’s important to let your physician know. 

There are many treatment options available.

But, what about taking daytime naps? Are those ever a good idea?

He said it really just depends. 

“If you can take that nap and you don't feel like it's disturbing your day, it's not a problem. But if it is affecting your day, if you're having to nap, if you're feeling sleepy all the time, then that is a sign that there is a problem either with the timing, or amount of sleep overnight, or perhaps with the quality of sleep,” he said. 

Dr. Chen said it may be tempting to try certain at home remedies, such as sleep supplements. However, it’s best to consult your physician. 

Sleep supplements are not FDA approved and could mask an underlying medical issue that needs to be addressed.