Older people do not need less sleep

[Peikko 1,575]

The idea that people need less sleep as they get older is a myth, according to a study showing that age bears no relation to how much sleep is necessary to function properly the next day.

What does change with age is the tendency to wake up in the middle of the night. But although disturbed sleep is more common as people age, it affects older people's brain functioning less than it does that of younger people, scientists found.

"What breaks down as we age is not the need for sleep but the ability to sleep in one chunk," said Sean Drummond, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of California.

"For older adults, the more sleep last night, the more efficient brain function is today," he told the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego. "In young adults what is important is consolidating it into one, solid chunk."

Link

Edited February 23, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[Jasman0717 9]

Wow, I slept really well all the way up until Claudeth's cell alarm started ringing at 3:47am this morning

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Wow, I slept really well all the way up until Claudeth's cell alarm started ringing at 3:47am this morning

She works early?

[Jenn! 918]

"In young adults what is important is consolidating it into one, solid chunk."

[Darnell 8,478]

I get cranky when I miss my afternoon nap.

[Jenn! 918]

I get nappy when I miss my afternoon crank.

[M.O 6]

Wow, I slept really well all the way up until Claudeth's cell alarm started ringing at 3:47am this morning

haha 3:47 weird number...but funny..

[peejay 327]

I've been getting by on 7 hours of sleep and sometimes less for years. It's rare that I ever get an 8 hour night.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I've been getting by on 7 hours of sleep and sometimes less for years. It's rare that I ever get an 8 hour night.

How's your blood pressure doing? They say that lack of sleep often causes the blood pressure to go up.

[Fandango 1,439]

I always thought the notion was older people need MORE sleep...

[trillium13 84]

Dang, I was kinda looking forward to not having to sleep so much in order to not be so tired...

[justashooter 430]

reduction in production of melatonin is the why reason older people sleep less than younger people. it's simple biology. also, reduction in the generation of synaptive connection reduces the need for REM sleep, which is cumulative. sleep cycles typically occur in a 90 minute period. during the first period we go thru stages 1 thru 4 before acheiving REM, but in successive cycles we go from 2-4 then REM. and each REM gets longer, as each 4 gets shorter. if we could just figure out how to selectively induce REM (controlled narcolepsy) we could reduce the need for sleep to 2-3 hours a night. this would have to be tied to adjustment of light stimulus to the pineal, but that's easy enough...

[trillium13 84]

I read some strange thing that said if you can train yourself to sleep for 30 minutes every 4 hours, then eventually that will all be REM sleep and that would be all the sleep you need in a day.

Not that this is practical for most people, and not that I necessarily believe everything I read on teh internets.

It's in here:

http://www.cracked.com/article/127_5-ways-...to-awesomeness/

[natty bumppo 297]

reduction in production of melatonin is the why reason older people sleep less than younger people. it's simple biology. also, reduction in the generation of synaptive connection reduces the need for REM sleep, which is cumulative. sleep cycles typically occur in a 90 minute period. during the first period we go thru stages 1 thru 4 before acheiving REM, but in successive cycles we go from 2-4 then REM. and each REM gets longer, as each 4 gets shorter. if we could just figure out how to selectively induce REM (controlled narcolepsy) we could reduce the need for sleep to 2-3 hours a night. this would have to be tied to adjustment of light stimulus to the pineal, but that's easy enough...

i would love to sleep ... if i could ....

[Nagishkaw 510]

I read some strange thing that said if you can train yourself to sleep for 30 minutes every 4 hours

Kidney disease makes that an easy accomplishment.