What’s the Connection Between Sleep and Aging?

A quality night’s sleep lets your body and mind repair and recharge. Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Sleep not only helps your physical health: It also boosts your mood and improves your thinking. 

Sleep and aging are closely linked too. Many people think they don’t need as much sleep as they get older. But this isn’t really true. Young children need more sleep, but adults still need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. 

If you’re having sleep changes as you get older, here’s what your sleep changes could mean for your health and some tips to get your sleep back on track. 

How does lack of sleep affect aging?

Poor sleep is linked to signs of premature aging. It also puts more stress on the body, making it harder to recover from everyday wear and tear. 

Older adults may have more trouble falling and staying asleep. It can be tempting to chalk up these changes to getting older. But there’s no evidence that adults need less sleep as they get older. And those sleep shifts can impact your health.

How can lack of sleep impact your health?

Here are five ways in which lack of sleep can affect your health.

1. Not getting enough rest increases your risk of certain health conditions

Lack of sleep is linked to a higher risk of developing certain medical conditions, including:

• Diabetes and prediabetes

• High blood pressure

• Heart disease and heart attacks

• Stroke

Not getting enough sleep can also make it harder to maintain and manage your weight. 

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2. Poor sleep dampens your mood

Lack of sleep not only affects your physical health — it can also impact your mental health. Studies show that older adults who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression. In other studies, people who slept fewer than 6 hours per night were more likely to say they had trouble managing their emotions. 

3. Lack of sleep slows down your thinking

Lack of sleep can impair your memory and judgment. In large studies, older adults who got 5 hours of sleep had more trouble with memory and had more word-finding difficulties than adults who got at least 7 hours of sleep. 

In another study, people who reported healthier sleep levels did better completing tasks that required more concentration. This suggests that lack of sleep can also impact your attention span. 

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4. Poor sleep makes you more likely to get sick

Not getting enough sleep can weaken your immune system too. In the short term, this can make you more prone to getting sick from: 

• Common cold illnesses like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

• More serious viruses like the flu and COVID-19

Lack of sleep can also impact your body’s ability to fight off these viruses, which means you may take longer to recover from illnesses.

5. Lack of sleep weakens your balance

Studies show that not getting enough sleep has a negative effect on your body’s ability to maintain its balance. Not getting quality sleep can also throw off your balance. 

Your body’s ability to maintain its balance can protect you from falls and accidents. In fact, experts point out that adults who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get injured from falls. Falls are a common problem among older adults and can lead to serious injuries and affect your ability to live independently. 

How much sleep should you get by age?

How much sleep you need depends on your age — among other factors, like your overall health, genes, and lifestyle. This is why the National Sleep Foundation created sleep guidelines for each age group based on recommendations by experts. 

Young children need a lot of sleep. For example, a 2-month-old infant needs 14 to 17 hours of sleep per day. You most likely aren’t sleeping that much. But does that mean you need less sleep as you get older? Once you’re an adult, how much sleep you need doesn’t really change much: 

• Adults ages 18 to 65: Aim to get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night is considered insufficient.

• Adults age 65: Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Anything less than 5 hours of sleep per night isn’t enough. 

What are the benefits of sleep for older adults?

From work and sports to social interactions, lack of sleep can keep you from living at your best. But the good news is that making sure you get quality rest can keep you healthy and sometimes reverse the damage of lack of sleep. 

Getting enough sleep can help you:

• Be more productive at work

• Perform better athletically

• Think more clearly

• Feel more energetic

• Concentrate clearly

• Feel less stressed

• Make you less likely to overeat

How can you get a better night’s sleep?

Getting a good night’s sleep isn’t always easy. Whether you’re taking medications that disrupt sleep or you have a medical condition like sleep apnea, quality sleep can be elusive.

But there are things you can do to get a better night’s sleep:

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time, even on weekends.

• Create a relaxing bedtime routine to prepare your mind and body for sleep.

• Stay active during the day.

• Avoid eating large meals a few hours before going to bed.

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime — ideally about 6 hours before you go to sleep.

• Keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and cool.

• Avoid screens 30 minutes before sleep. 

If you nap, try to keep your nap under 30 minutes. You should also time your nap for the early afternoon so it doesn’t interrupt your nighttime sleep. 

You can also try other sleep-hygiene strategies, like sleep meditation and deep-breathing exercises. 

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Written by:

Tracy Norfleet, MD, FACP

Dr. Tracy Norfleet is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician, health expert, and physician leader with over 20 years of experience practicing adult medicine. Dual-certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Tracy possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise in both traditional medical practices and innovative lifestyle interventions for chronic disease management and reversal.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Farzon Nahvi, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and teaches at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

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