Do you need less sleep as you grow older?

[FujiKiwi]

I’m 46, and almost nothing about growing older is good.

I’m losing my hair, my eyesight (which had always been good) is weaker. Memory is fading. I’d always been able to sing a bit, but now I can’t hit the high notes on my go to songs at karaoke.

One thing I’ve noticed though is that it’s easier to wake up in the morning. It’d been a life long struggle, but now I can get up at 6:30 in the morning, no sweat. In fact, I can get by pretty easily on quite a lot less sleep than I used to.

Is this the one benefit of aging? Have any other aging boredies noticed this?

[Carter's Choice]

I’m 46, and almost nothing about growing older is good.

I’m losing my hair, my eyesight (which had always been good) is weaker. Memory is fading. I’d always been able to sing a bit, but now I can’t hit the high notes on my go to songs at karaoke.

One thing I’ve noticed though is that it’s easier to wake up in the morning. It’d been a life long struggle, but now I can get up at 6:30 in the morning, no sweat. In fact, I can get by pretty easily on quite a lot less sleep than I used to.

Is this the one benefit of aging? Have any other aging boredies noticed this?

I definitely wake up more easily than I did in my 20's. But I also go to sleep much earlier.

[assfly]

6:30am? Luxury.

[Jimmy Smallsteps]

I generally get between 5 - 8 hours sleep on any given night, sometimes less, and sometimes more.

At the age of 42, I have noticed I can get by on slightly less sleep than I used to.

The really late nights are also less likely.

[Ymx]

46 myself.

Used to be an early riser 5am, but since dropping the booze I’ve gone to bed later, and now waking about 7am.

[ASMO]

No, you need about the same as a young adult, but there may be other reasons you sleep less.

http://sleepeducation.org/news/2013/08/ ... wing-older

[Kawazaki]

Getting up to go to the lavatory is more important as you grow older, especially making sure it's before you relieve yourself.

[ASMO]

Getting up to go to the lavatory is more important as you grow older, especially making sure it's before you relieve yourself.

As the saying goes, never take a sleeping tablet together with a laxative.

[OomStruisbaai]

Next month 62. Always sleeping easy and well.

[mat the expat]

Nah, I'm also 46 and getting up is no easier at all.

I've always been an Owl though.

[Slick]

I’ve become pretty fanatical about trying to get a minimum 8 hours a night - seems to be a lot of information out there about how important it is - but not always easy with 2 young kids.

Very rarely have a late night these days and being off the booze for a while certainly makes a difference to the quality of the sleep

[Sandstorm]

As you get older you get more aches and pains, so staying in bed until 10am is not fun.

[tabascoboy]

Bit older than most who have responded, still feel like I need a good 8 hours / night, but very often wake up well before the alarm goes while really not feeling like getting up. Then not being able to go back to sleep and being ready for bed and sleep by 9pm.

[frodder]

51 (nearly 52) now. Twice a night to the toilet and need much less sleep these days. Knees, back and ankles all shot. Been working for a start-up company being surrounded by kids half my age doesn't help.

[GogLais]

71. Usually ok, settle down at 12:00 and up at 8:30. I never had a long commute so I didn’t get into the routine of waking up early. Some of my friends still get up at 6:00 or 7:00 and watch breakfast television. Most times I get back to sleep when I do wake in the night but once every few months I’ll have a night when I don’t get to sleep at all for no obvious reason.
Separate bedrooms are a good thing.

[Trapper]

56 here, hit the sack about 11:30ish up at 6:30. I cant lie in bed once I'm awake as it does my back in but I enjoy the early mornings and have no probs getting up and into the day.

[Glaston]

Getting up has never been a problem.
20 odd years of milking cows looked after that.

Its the sleep patterns that are a problem these days.
Been really bad since May, I used to only get insomnia in Jan/Feb when the daylight lengths started changing.


Real older folk nap during the day and catch up on some sleep.
Not something I have ever been able to do.

[SaintK]

All settled down a bit since I retired though still have the occassional 30 minutes or so awake in the middle of the night and struggle a bit when it gets light very early, though a blackout blind has helped with that
Haven't got TV in the bedroom and dont read a tablet at night only a book or magazine
I'm lucky I can catnap at anytime if i've had a bad night
Best thing we did is start sleeping in separate beds as our sleep patterns had become completely different.
We then meet up in the morning with a cup of tea in bed at about 7:30 to compare our nights sleep

[OomStruisbaai]

Morning glory is the biggest reason for forty year old men to struggle with sleep.

[Uncle fester]

Blatant Enz callout thread.

[ASMO]

Up at 5 45 every morning, walk at pace for 8.5k, work a full day, head to bed about 10.30, watch an hour of TV and sleep like a log.

[Yeeb]

Sleep is awesome. Sadly with love of gaming , an early bird wife and 3 small kids the youngest of whom loves jumping in bed to wake me up and usually elbow drops my morning glory , I normally get about 5-6 hours. My natural body cycle seems to be about 30hours, often a struggle to get to sleep - I would love being awake for 18-19 hours and then an 11 hour kip.

[Enzedder]

Yay. 3 sleeps till Christmas

[Yr Alban]

Yes, you do. The average amount of sleep people get decreases slowly with age.

I’m 47 - the hair has been history for 20 years, but the eyes are just starting to go and it takes so much longer to recover from minor injuries. If you actually do recover.

EDIT: have also noticed the loss of the top of my vocal range as described in the OP.

[Gumboot]

Yay. 3 sleeps till Christmas

[Dan54]

I trying to work it out, 66 and found I didn't sleep all that well, but hallelujah, moved back to NZ a few weeks ago and seem to be sleeping quite well. Put it down to whatever, maybe temp a bit better for sleeping, though I wasn't getting a huge sleep in winter in Brisbane. I think it maybe more that I feeling settled (even though we not in house etc yet) and maybe a bit contented that I am where I belong? Not really sure what has changed sleeping patterns over the years.
I do have to say there is always the risk with how memory is beginning to operate I just can't remember how I used to sleep . Hell if things keep going like they are me and missus Dan54 will be having to sleep with name tags so we know who we with in mornings.

[Slick]

All settled down a bit since I retired though still have the occassional 30 minutes or so awake in the middle of the night and struggle a bit when it gets light very early, though a blackout blind has helped with that
Haven't got TV in the bedroom and dont read a tablet at night only a book or magazine
I'm lucky I can catnap at anytime if i've had a bad night
Best thing we did is start sleeping in separate beds as our sleep patterns had become completely different.
We then meet up in the morning with a cup of tea in bed at about 7:30 to compare our nights sleep

There seems to be a lot of this sleeping in different beds thing going on these days.

[Woddy]

In mid/late forties, I feel like I need more sleep than before, if anything, and find it harder to get out of bed in the morning. It may be more to do with quality of sleep, as that has definitely got worse. Most nights I will wake 4/5 times at least, from aching shoulders/hips or for no apparent reason. In turn, I wonder if that comes from less regular physical exercise (despite best efforts).

Re sleeping in separate beds, does that not lead to drift in the relationship from lack of sex?

[SaintK]

In mid/late forties, I feel like I need more sleep than before, if anything, and find it harder to get out of bed in the morning. It may be more to do with quality of sleep, as that has definitely got worse. Most nights I will wake 4/5 times at least, from aching shoulders/hips or for no apparent reason. In turn, I wonder if that comes from less regular physical exercise (despite best efforts).

Re sleeping in separate beds, does that not lead to drift in the relationship from lack of sex?

Nope!!
Justs means we both get a good nights sleep

[Globus]

I sleep well but not for very long. Probably less than 3 hours a day but it varies.

I'm older than Enz!

[Sandstorm]

All settled down a bit since I retired though still have the occassional 30 minutes or so awake in the middle of the night and struggle a bit when it gets light very early, though a blackout blind has helped with that
Haven't got TV in the bedroom and dont read a tablet at night only a book or magazine
I'm lucky I can catnap at anytime if i've had a bad night
Best thing we did is start sleeping in separate beds as our sleep patterns had become completely different.
We then meet up in the morning with a cup of tea in bed at about 7:30 to compare our nights sleep

There seems to be a lot of this sleeping in different beds thing going on these days.

If we all voted for Corbyn last year, there'd be a lodger in that spare room today. If you still want to bed down in there.....

[Sards]

Asleep by 12.30...awake 5....every day. Including weekends

[Slick]

In mid/late forties, I feel like I need more sleep than before, if anything, and find it harder to get out of bed in the morning. It may be more to do with quality of sleep, as that has definitely got worse. Most nights I will wake 4/5 times at least, from aching shoulders/hips or for no apparent reason. In turn, I wonder if that comes from less regular physical exercise (despite best efforts).

Re sleeping in separate beds, does that not lead to drift in the relationship from lack of sex?

Nope!!
Justs means we both get a good nights sleep

I think me suggesting it might result in a lack of sex

[Sandstorm]

Asleep by 12.30...awake 5....every day. Including weekends

That's not much sleep for a pot-head.

Edit: unless you are talking about a long afternoon nap every day?

[SaintK]

I sleep well but not for very long. Probably less than 3 hours a day but it varies.

I'm older than Enz!

I assume you mean 3 hours a night?
According to most medical opinion that is a dangerously low number for anyone.
Hopefully you don't do much driving or operate heavy machinery during the day?

[Globus]

I sleep well but not for very long. Probably less than 3 hours a day but it varies.

I'm older than Enz!

I assume you mean 3 hours a night?
According to most medical opinion that is a dangerously low number for anyone.
Hopefully you don't do much driving or operate heavy machinery during the day?

I've been like that since I was a boy. Inherited from my father. Nothing dangerous in the least.

Not driven "heavy machinery" since I worked on the farm. Of course I drive, done so since I was 17.

I love the phrase "most medical opinion". What on earth does that mean? Let's just say I'm a bit different sleep wise.

I've been known to go nigh on 4 days and nights without (much) sleep. That was when we launched a new bank account. Had the biggest whiteboard to log all the problems.

[Carter's Choice]

I sleep well but not for very long. Probably less than 3 hours a day but it varies.

I'm older than Enz!

I assume you mean 3 hours a night?
According to most medical opinion that is a dangerously low number for anyone.
Hopefully you don't do much driving or operate heavy machinery during the day?

I've been like that since I was a boy. Inherited from my father. Nothing dangerous in the least.

Not driven "heavy machinery" since I worked on the farm. Of course I drive, done so since I was 17.

I love the phrase "most medical opinion". What on earth does that mean? Let's just say I'm a bit different sleep wise.

I've been known to go nigh on 4 days and nights without (much) sleep. That was when we launched a new bank account. Had the biggest whiteboard to log all the problems.

Stay off the meth dude.

[SaintK]

I sleep well but not for very long. Probably less than 3 hours a day but it varies.

I'm older than Enz!

I assume you mean 3 hours a night?
According to most medical opinion that is a dangerously low number for anyone.
Hopefully you don't do much driving or operate heavy machinery during the day?

I've been like that since I was a boy. Inherited from my father. Nothing dangerous in the least.

Not driven "heavy machinery" since I worked on the farm. Of course I drive, done so since I was 17.

I love the phrase "most medical opinion". What on earth does that mean? Let's just say I'm a bit different sleep wise.

I've been known to go nigh on 4 days and nights without (much) sleep. That was when we launched a new bank account. Had the biggest whiteboard to log all the problems.

I should have said "medical opinion" as per the NHS web site
No need to go into any more detail thanks.

[Globus]

No need to reply. I'll not bother to respond in detail.

I only use meths to strip varnish and paint. Behave.

[Enzedder]

Was knackered last night and went to bed at 9.30pm

Banished her to a spare room.

Slept like a baby till 5.30am.

Those nights are fantastic and I will conquer the world today.