As we age our biological clock tends to shifts backward and instead of staying awake until 10 or 11 pm, we tend to want to go to bed at 8 or 9pm.  I’m glad I have a VCR (haven’t made the move to DVD) so I can tape shows that are on in the middle of the night. You know, the ones that are on between 8pm and 10pm. Since I get up at 4am, I’m dropping off at 7:30pm.

Teens have a tendency to sleep less that they did just a few years before. That is more because of social factors like staying up watching late night TV than just aging. They like to brag about how late they stayed up and how little sleep they need. These are the ones that will chew your head off for saying “Good morning” (although my mother used to do the “Rise and shine – up and at‘em” routine) and are asleep at the back of the classroom.

Older people may not necessarily sleep less but by the time we reach our mid 40’s, we are spending more time in the lighter stage 1 and stage 2 sleep and less time in the deeper stage 3 and 4. A night’s sleep is also broken up with more awakenings. We are also affected more by noises and other distractions like a ¼ full blatter or our pyjama bottom leg that’s cork screwed up to our thigh.

The elderly tend to have a poor night’s sleep and that is cause by age, pain and poor sleep habits. They also tend to treat sleep difficulties with over the counter sleep medications. Try cutting back on coffee, tea, cola and chocolate. Keep your bedroom dark and quiet and worry about your problems in the morning not when you’re trying to get to sleep.

Accepting that your sleep pattern will change as you age as a normal part of the life cycle will make it easier for you to deal with age related sleep problems. You’ll go to bed and wake up earlier and not sleep as deeply.