Do people need less sleep as they grow older?
No. As a woman gets older, she doesn’t need less sleep, but she often gets less sleep. That’s because her ability to sleep for long periods of time and to get into the deep restful stages of sleep decrease with age. Older women have more fragile sleep and are more easily disturbed by light, noise and pain. They also may have medical conditions that contribute to sleep problems. Going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning, getting exposure to natural outdoor light during the day and sleeping in a cool, dark, quiet place at night may help. • What’s the first step in getting treatment for a sleep disorder? If you are having a chronic problem with sleeplessness or excessive sleepiness, consult a health care professional to discuss your symptoms. He or she can screen you for other illnesses and refer you to specialists who can diagnose sleep disorders. • When are people naturally most sleepy? Our bodies are programmed by our biological clock to ex
