Age changes in timing and 24-hour distribution of self-reported sleep

Aging has been associated with increased nocturnal awakenings, increased napping, earlier bedtimes and wake-up times, and more regular sleep-wake schedules. These patterns have often been ascribed to both psychosocial and medical factors, but nearly all studies to-date have been cross-sectional.

The authors present self-reported sleep data from 31 elderly subjects followed over a decade.

With aging, the number of nightly awakenings and daytime napping increased over time. Exploratory analyses suggested that individuals who lived with another person had earlier bedtimes, later wake-up times, and greater daytime napping. Intervening medical comorbidities also appeared to be associated with increased napping.

These results confirm previous cross-sectional studies and suggest a complex biopsychosocial matrix for the timing and placement of sleep in elderly persons within the 24-hour day.