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Medical review by Samina Ahmed Jauregui, PsyD
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As you age, your sleep patterns may change. Sleeping more during the day or experiencing shorter sleep cycles at night can be completely normal. Part of the reason for this is the number of birthday candles on your cake, but your environment and lifestyle can also play a big role in your sleep health. How often you exercise, the food you eat, how much water you drink and your stress levels can affect the quality of your sleep.
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Nicole M. Avena, Ph.D. explains, “By the time you hit your 20s, your body has more or less established a stable sleep cycle”. Sugarless: The 7-Step Plan to Discover Hidden Sugars, Curb Your Cravings, and Beat Your Addiction. “However, many people don’t understand this cycle until later in life, such as in their 30s or 40s.” Just in time for things to change!
Whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s, here’s what you need to know to watch for common age-related sleep changes and what you can do to navigate them, according to sleep experts.
Meet the experts
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Nicole M. Avena, Ph.D., assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
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Charissa Chamorro, Ph.D., assistant clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City
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Paul Kaloustian, MD, in California.
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Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Lynelle Schneeberg, Psy.D.
Sleep in your 20s
The CDC recommends that all adults ages 18 to 60, regardless of age group, aim for seven or more hours of sleep per night. Of course, it can be difficult. Maybe you think you’re fine with less than that. Or maybe you’re in your 20s, says Charissa Chamorro, Ph.D., assistant clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. “Young adults often have irregular sleep patterns due to work, socializing and screen time,” she explains. She recommends keeping your bedtime and wake-up time within one to two hours of your weekday pattern. “Establishing a consistent sleep schedule can establish a strong foundation for lifelong healthy sleep,” Chamorro adds.
That said, life can be unpredictable. People in this age group have more flexibility in their physical needs, so they have some flexibility in how consistent they need to be to maintain good sleep habits, says California neurosurgeon Paul Kaloustian, MD. If you can’t stick to your sleep schedule, aim to practice good sleep habits, Dr. Kaloustian advises.
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The brain, as he explains, is “very plastic” in this age group. However, there are still 20 steps—something that can be taken to build lifelong healthy sleep habits. “People in their 20s should avoid significant caffeine intake (more than one cup a day), reduce stress and exercise at least 30 minutes a day to ensure adequate sleep,” he suggests.
Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and author Dr. Lynelle Schneeberg, Psy.D. Become your child’s sleep coachPeople in their 20s who struggle to establish an earlier wake-up time can use simple steps to wake up earlier. The key, she says, is consistency: Getting up at the same time every day (or at least trying to) can help you wake up earlier and go to bed earlier (and more easily). Exposing yourself to natural sunlight and eating breakfast within an hour of waking up can also help your brain get ready to start the day in the morning.
Sleep in your 30s
Avena explains that the amount of sleep people get decreases with age. “Research shows that stage 3 non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep decreases by 2 percent every decade until age 60,” she says. “Rapid eye movement (REM) also decreases with each decade until about 60.”
Although 30-somethings can begin to feel these expected age-related effects, one of the biggest hurdles to overcome at this point in life is environmental factors (eg work schedule, use of technology, family obligations, financial stress). Your 30s are also a smart time to address any sleep disorders, such as insomnia or sleep apnea, which can affect overall health in the long run if left untreated.
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“People in their thirties are now out of school and working and/or raising families,” Dr. Calloustian says. This means that parents often have to balance their own sleep (and sleep quality) with the sleep habits of their children, especially infants and toddlers. Schneeberg adds that parents in their 30s can teach their children to sleep better, which can help parents develop healthy sleep patterns.
“Lots of plans [for children] Include a bedtime routine each night and then use self-soothing items (a blanket or stuffed animal for a toddler and a reading lamp and some books for older ones),” she says.
The general advice for 20- and 30-somethings remains the same: maintain a consistent sleep-wake schedule, limit caffeine, get enough exercise, drink plenty of water and eat healthy foods to promote good sleep.
Sleep in your 40s
According to Chamorro, this is the period when most adults report the most disturbed sleep due to the stress of career and family life. For example, stress can make it difficult for you to fall asleep or keep you awake throughout the night. “This is the decade where it’s most important to establish regular self-care routines,” says Chamorro. “Make it a priority to incorporate regular relaxation techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, and yoga, both before bed and throughout the week. Establishing regular self-care routines can help you manage your stress, which helps you establish and maintain more restorative sleep.”
Beyond that, Kaloustian says people in their 40s should follow the same sleep health advice as they did in their 20s and 30s. It’s also important to educate yourself about how your sleep during this decade may change in later decades (and what you can do ahead of time to prevent those changes).
“Sleep not only reflects your age, it also reflects your health,” explains Avena. “Certain health conditions and your health throughout the day can also affect how well you sleep at night.”
While healthy sleep guidelines are often universal, Avena recommends tailoring them to your own specific needs for maximum benefits. “When do you work best? Early in the morning or late at night?” She says to ask yourself. “When you understand your body’s internal clock, you can start building a healthy sleep routine around it.”
Establishing a ritual before bed helps signal to your mind that you’re going to sleep early, Avena continues, “just like showering and brushing your teeth before bed.” Avoiding oversleeping (especially later in the afternoon) can also be helpful in getting a good night’s sleep.
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Sleep in your 50s
Your 50s can bring about the most obvious sleep changes. “They start to develop medical co-morbidities in people in their 50s that require multiple medications, which can greatly impact their ability to get enough sleep,” Kaloustian says. In addition to leading a healthy lifestyle, he also recommends consulting with your primary care physician to “make sure there are no medications causing sleep.”
This decade of life also sees gender-based sleep changes, especially for women going through or beginning menopause. “During menopause, rates of insomnia increase dramatically in women,” says Avena. A recent study suggests that 26 percent of postmenopausal women experience sleep difficulties that qualify as insomnia. “This means that we may see a decline in sleep quality in the 50s, especially for women.”
Kaloostian adds that reduced function of the hypothalamus part of the brain, and changes in the hormones melatonin and cortisol begin to occur in the 50s as well, which can also affect the quality and duration of sleep. This is why people often start sleeping less or wake up more frequently throughout the night as they get older.
One of the best ways for people in their 50s (and everyone, really) to promote good sleep is to get as much natural sunlight as possible, which Kaloustian says tends to decrease as people age. Stress management is also important for falling and sleeping well (here are some helpful strategies for managing stress).
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Sleep in your 60s
According to Chamorro, it’s common to experience more fragmented and less restful sleep during this decade for a number of reasons. “As we age, our bodies produce less melatonin, which makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep,” she says. “Additionally, arthritis, sleep apnea, or health conditions that require using the bathroom at night can also contribute to sleep disturbances,” Chamorro points out. Sleep may also feel less restorative because older adults spend more time in the earlier, lighter stages of sleep and less time in the later, deeper stages of sleep, Chamorro adds.
What’s more, people in their 60s are more likely to sleep during the day, which increases sleep problems at night, says Avena. “Daytime naps can disrupt circadian rhythms,” Avena says.
To get the best sleep possible, you’ll want to stick to all the basics: keep a sleep schedule, limit alcohol, avoid caffeine by 1 p.m. and get physical activity throughout the day, and keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet, advises Chamorro. If you can, establishing a nighttime routine can help signal your body that it’s time to wind down, she says. “I encourage people to create a routine that they can follow and enjoy. This might include washing their face first, then enjoying a warm cup of herbal tea, engaging in some light stretching, and finally, reading a book or listening to a bedtime story before bed,” says Chamorro.
Bottom line: Regardless of age, leading a healthy lifestyle is important for quality sleep. Whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or 60s, take enough time to get a good night’s sleep and take care of yourself throughout the day by eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and drinking plenty of water. For any sleep concern, always consult a doctor to find a sleep management plan that works best for your individual needs.
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