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. 2005 Dec;13(12):1077-82.
doi: 10.1176/appi.ajgp.13.12.1077.

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

Donald L Bliwise  1 , Farzaneh Pour Ansari, Laura-Beth Straight, Kathy P Parker
Affiliations

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

Donald L Bliwise et al. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2005 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: 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.

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

Results: 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.

Conclusion: 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.

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