Older People Find a Good Night's Sleep Isn't What It Used to Be

Changing sleep patterns can be a key effect of aging, with lighter sleep cycles often asserting themselves in middle age, reports the Portland Press Herald . "Morningness," or the tendency to rise before or with the birds, occurs as people's preferred bedtime skews earlier with age. In addition, older adults take longer to fall asleep, and wake up more frequently; they tend to linger in the deepest phases of sleep for less time than younger adults, and they receive less rapid eye movement sleep. Studies have determined poor sleep can be especially hazardous to older adults, contributing to a preponderance of falls, depression and anxiety, memory problems, and heightened suicide risk. Certain sleep disorders also have been linked to a higher risk of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and dementia. According to the University of Washington's Michael V. Vitiello, researchers have documented the changes in circadian rhythms that transpire with aging, but they are still learning why they happen.