Why Sleep Patterns Shift With Age and How to Maintain Quality Rest
Many individuals experience increasing difficulty falling and staying asleep as they grow older, yet disrupted nights should not be considered an unavoidable aspect of ageing. Leading sleep specialists emphasise that while vulnerabilities increase, effective solutions exist to protect restorative sleep. With World Sleep Day approaching on March 13, understanding these changes becomes crucial for maintaining wellbeing in later years.
The Prevalence of Sleep Issues in Older Adults
According to the British Geriatrics Society, approximately 40% of people aged 65 and over regularly experience insomnia, with up to 75% suffering from some form of sleep disturbance. Professor Jason Ellis, director of the Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research at Northumbria University, challenges the common misconception that poor sleep is normal for older adults. "Fundamentally, your sleep doesn't have to change in your 60s or 70s, but circumstances tend to create a lot more vulnerability around that ageing point," he explains.
Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity, reinforces this perspective: "It's important to stress that poor sleep is not an inevitable part of ageing. While sleep patterns change, persistent sleep difficulties shouldn't simply be accepted as 'just getting older.'"
Biological Factors Contributing to Sleep Changes
Several physiological changes make older individuals more susceptible to sleep disruptions. Professor Ellis identifies multiple vulnerabilities that emerge around the sixth decade of life:
- Increased prevalence of chronic illnesses and medications
- Hormonal changes, particularly during menopause
- Weight gain that can affect nighttime breathing
- Multiple life transitions and losses
The hormone melatonin, which regulates sleep-wake cycles, begins decreasing after puberty. "That's actually the beginning of the time our sleep system starts to degenerate," Ellis notes. "Year-on-year, we start producing less melatonin naturally, and we start changing the architecture of our sleep." This gradual decline means individuals lose deep, slow-wave sleep needed for physical restoration from approximately age 25 onward.
Circadian Rhythm Shifts and Sleep Architecture
Artis explains that sleep naturally changes from our 50s onward, with older adults still requiring seven to nine hours nightly but experiencing noticeable shifts in structure and quality. "Older adults often feel sleepy earlier in the evening and wake earlier in the morning," she says. "This is sometimes referred to as a 'phase advance' in sleep timing."
The reduction in deep, restorative sleep means lighter sleep stages become more dominant, making individuals more easily disturbed by environmental factors like noise, light, or physical discomfort. Many consequently experience more frequent nighttime awakenings and difficulty returning to sleep.
Lifestyle Factors and Retirement Impacts
Retirement brings significant lifestyle changes that can affect sleep patterns. Working individuals typically maintain structured daily routines with regular waking times, meals, exercise, and social activities. Retirement often reduces this structure, potentially leading to more flexible sleep schedules.
"Losing those patterns can make the system more vulnerable to being more flexible about getting bouts of sleep here and there, rather than in one big chunk," Ellis observes. Artis adds that retired individuals may nap more frequently during daytime hours, engage in less physical activity, or receive reduced exposure to natural daylight—all factors influencing sleep quality.
The Importance of Sleep Regularity
While some older adults believe total sleep duration matters more than timing, emerging research suggests regularity may be equally or more important. "We're starting to see research suggesting that keeping the same timing in sleep is actually as important, if not more important, than how much sleep we're getting," Ellis cautions. However, he acknowledges most research has focused on younger populations, leaving questions about how these findings apply to older adults.
When to Seek Help and Available Solutions
Professor Ellis recommends first assessing whether sleep changes are causing daytime problems. "How do you feel in the daytime—is your sleep affecting your performance and what you need to achieve? If it is, then this is something you should be talking to your GP about," he advises.
Modern approaches to sleep problems extend beyond medication. For insomnia, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) addressing dysfunctional beliefs and habits may be recommended. For sleep apnoea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices can maintain open airways during sleep. "There are lots of therapies out there, and they're not all reliant on medication," Ellis stresses. "It's working out what the problem might be, and then tailoring that to the solution to try to maintain a better sleep health framework."
Artis concludes with practical encouragement: "Small adjustments to routine, light exposure and bedroom environment can make a significant difference. And importantly, support is available—good sleep remains vital for physical health, cognitive function and emotional wellbeing at every stage of life."
