Not sleeping as well as you used to? Maybe it’s just you’re naturally getting older. Unfortunately, since sleep is so important for protecting your mind and body physically, it’s a Catch-22.
James Clear delves into the science of sleep and how it changes with age. Citing Harvard Medical School researchers, he points out that as we get older, both the quality of our sleep and the amount of time we sleep decrease. Slow wave sleep — the phase thought to be responsible for tissue growth, muscle repair and immune system repair — also dramatically decreases with age. Guess what that means for your ageing body.
The good news is that you might be able to supplement night sleep with well-timed daytime naps and better sleep habits.
Just another reason to stay vigilant about how well you sleep, at every stage of your life. Whether you’re sleep deprived or sleep soundly every night, check out Clear’s guide to better sleep below.
How to Get Better Sleep: The Beginner’s Guide to Overcoming Sleep Deprivation [James Clear]
Comments
4 responses to “How Sleep Changes As You Age, And Why You’ll Need Even More Of It”
Dear god I wish i could get to sleep that quickly
same here, it takes me ages to get to sleep, anywhere from half an hour to 3 hours
You can just enjoy resting in comfy warmth, and letting sleep come whenever it likes. Fretting about not being asleep yet is an unnecessary aggravation.
i taught my self to sleep when i was a teenager. i used to lay awake for a couple of hours quite often. i got to the point where i would physically force my eyes shut, and say to myself, ‘go to sleep, go to sleep…’ over and over. i think the first week took a bit. but ever since then, if i lay down in bed and shut my eyes, im out in about 2 to 10 minutes at the most.