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Sleep in Healthy and Pathological Aging.

Maurizio Gorgoni^1,2, Luigi De Gennaro^1,2

¹Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.

|February 23, 2024

Summary

As people age, their sleep patterns change significantly. Understanding these age-related alterations in human sleep physiology is crucial for maintaining health and well-being.

Area of Science:

Gerontology
Sleep Medicine
Human Physiology

Background:

Human sleep architecture and regulation undergo substantial modifications throughout the lifespan.
Age-related changes in sleep impact overall health, cognitive function, and disease susceptibility.
Investigating the physiological underpinnings of sleep alterations in aging is essential.

Discussion:

Sleep disturbances are a common complaint among older adults, affecting sleep quality and quantity.
Physiological changes associated with aging, such as hormonal shifts and circadian rhythm alterations, contribute to sleep disruption.
The impact of age on sleep is multifaceted, involving neural, endocrine, and environmental factors.

Key Insights:

Sleep efficiency typically declines with advanced age.

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REM sleep duration may decrease, while lighter sleep stages increase.

Increased prevalence of sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea in the elderly population.

Outlook:

Further research is needed to elucidate the precise molecular and neural mechanisms driving age-related sleep changes.
Developing targeted interventions to mitigate sleep disturbances in older adults is a key future direction.
Understanding these changes can inform strategies for promoting healthy aging and preventing age-related diseases.