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Age-related changes in sleep include advanced sleep timing, shortened nocturnal sleep duration, increased frequency of daytime naps, increased nocturnal awakenings and time spent awake, and decreased slow wave sleep.
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Most age-related changes in sleep are stable after 60 years of age among older adults with excellent health.
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Aging is associated with less robust circadian rhythms and sleep homeostasis, which contribute to sleep changes in aging.
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Age-related changes in neuroendocrine functions
Sleep in Normal Aging
Section snippets
Key points
Age-related changes in sleep
There is no doubt that sleep changes as a function of age.3 Aging is associated with decreased ability to maintain sleep (increased number of awakenings and prolonged nocturnal awakenings), reduced nocturnal sleep duration, and decreased deep sleep (slow wave sleep).4 Herein we discuss in detail age-related changes in sleep duration, sleep initiation, sleep efficiency, sleep maintenance, sleep stages, daytime sleep behaviors, and self-reported sleep quality. An important aspect of this
Age-related changes in circadian rhythms
The circadian system regulates several human physiologic functions, including body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, release of certain hormones, bone remodeling, sleep–wake rhythm, and rest–activity pattern.36 It is well-documented in the literature that circadian rhythms become less robust with aging, which typically presents as an advance in circadian timing, a decrease in circadian amplitude, and a reduced ability to adjust to phase shifting (changes in the phase of circadian
Sleep-related hormones, aging, and sleep
Age-related changes in neuroendocrine function are associated with alterations in sleep quality and sleep architecture with normal aging. We briefly review changes of several sleep-related hormones with normal aging and their associations with sleep. Most studies in this area group older adults into a single age category as compared with young or middle-aged adults, and few data exist related to hormonal changes with advancing age within the older adult age group per se.
Risk factors for sleep disturbances in older adults
As reviewed, most sleep parameters decrease with age until the age of 60 years, but remain generally unchanged after 60 years of age. Also, older adults are less likely to complain of sleep problems and tend to accept some noticeable sleep alterations as normal changes with aging. The age-associated sleep changes discussed herein are mostly relevant to older adults who have excellent health and are aging successfully. In the real world, medical comorbidities and psychiatric illness, primary
Summary
Sleep changes with normal aging. In general, aging is associated with advanced sleep timing, decreased nocturnal sleep time and sleep efficiency, increased frequency of daytime naps, increased nocturnal awakenings, and decreased slow wave sleep. Most sleep parameters remain unchanged after 60 years of age in healthy older adults. Circadian system and sleep homeostasis become less robust with normal aging. The amount and pattern of sleep-related hormone secretion change in normal aging. All
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