Do You Need Less Sleep As You Get Older?

Five hours and a 5 am start. Your Nan and Grandad may call that a lie-in. Maybe your dad’s started doing the same. And maybe, just lately, so are you. So is it actually true that the older we get, the less sleep we need?

The short answer? Probably not in the way you think.

Sleep does change as we age. The amount we need, though, barely shifts. What changes is the shape of our sleep, when we want it and how easily we hold onto it through the night. Our 2026 Sleep Survey found that over 65s spend the most time in bed of any age group at 7.67 hours a night, while 18 to 24-year-olds clock just 6.56 hours. So older Brits are clearly trying to get rest. The question is whether they’re managing to.

Let’s have a proper look at what’s going on.

Quick answer: No. Older adults need around the same amount of sleep as everyone else. They often just find it harder to come by.

According to the National Institute on Aging, older adults need about seven to nine hours each night, the same as most adults. The Sleep Foundation calls the idea that we need less sleep with age a common misconception. The National Sleep Foundation puts the recommended range for over 65s at seven to eight hours.

What’s true is that getting that sleep can become trickier. UCLA Health reports that average nightly sleep tends to drop by around 30 minutes every 10 years after midlife. The body still wants the rest. It just keeps slipping out of reach.

So if you’re sleeping less than you used to and feel sharp the next day, brilliant. If you’re sleeping less and feel foggy, irritable or low on energy, it’s worth paying attention.

A few things shift, and they’re all completely normal:

Earlier bedtimes, earlier mornings

Our circadian rhythms (the body clock that tells us when to feel sleepy and when to feel awake) move forward with age. Sleep Foundation calls it a phase advance. Suddenly, 9 pm feels late, and 5 am feels reasonable.

A narrower sleep window

Harvard Medical School explains that the window during which our body clock allows sleep also narrows with age. The clock shifts forward, and on top of that, the actual sleeping window itself gets shorter. That’s part of why older adults often can’t simply nap their way to topping up missed hours, particularly earlier in the day.

Lighter, more broken sleep

The Sleep Foundation explains that older adults spend more time in lighter sleep stages and less time in the deeper, more restorative ones. UCLA Health notes that older adults wake an average of three to four times a night and tend to be more aware of those wakings.

Less melatonin

Our bodies make less of this sleep hormone as we age, which can knock the timing of our sleep-wake cycle. Our melatonin guide explains how it works.

More daytime naps

Around 25% of older adults nap during the day, compared to roughly 8% of younger adults, according to research. A short snooze can be a lovely thing. A long afternoon kip can pinch from your night.

We asked 2,000 UK adults about their relationship with sleep. A few findings stood out for the over 65s:

• 7.67 hours is the average time over 65s spend in bed each night – the most of any age group.
• Just 17% of over 65s worry about not getting a good night’s sleep most nights. Compare that to 44% of 18 to 24-year-olds.
• 12% of over 65s let their pet into bed. For 18 to 24-year-olds, it’s 50%.
• Only 2% of over 65s have tried wearable sleep tracking, compared with 14% of 18 to 24-year-olds.

A picture emerges. Older Brits are spending more time in bed and worrying about it less. Two things to celebrate. The remaining task is making that time count.

An interesting twist on this: Research published in Neuron found that men over 70 lose around half of their slow-wave sleep (the deepest, most restorative stage, when the body does most of its overnight repair) compared with men under 55. Women’s slow-wave sleep, by comparison, holds up far better. Yet women are still more likely to report poor sleep as they age. It’s a useful reminder that how we feel about our sleep and what’s going on physiologically can pull in different directions.

Several things make rest more elusive in later life. They’re worth knowing about, because most of them can be addressed:

• Health conditions and pain: Arthritis, heart conditions, diabetes and chronic pain all disrupt sleep. The Sleep Foundation reports that people with multiple conditions are more likely to get less than six hours a night and rate their sleep poorly.
• Medications: Research shows that more than 40% of adults aged 65 and older take 5 or more prescriptions. Some keep us awake. Some send us to sleep at the wrong time of day. Some interact in unexpected ways.
• Nighttime toilet trips: The medical term is nocturia. Research indicates that it affects up to 80% of older adults, making it one of the most common reasons for waking at night.
• Sleep apnea: Research suggests that sleep-disordered breathing is common and that its prevalence increases with age. Loud snoring or pauses in breathing are reasons to chat with a GP.
• Insomnia: The NIA describes insomnia as the most common sleep problem in adults aged 60 and older. If you’ve been having trouble for a while, our insomnia and how to beat it guide is a good place to start.
• Restless legs: Restless legs syndrome may affect around one in four older adults.
• Lifestyle changes: Retirement is wonderful in many ways. It can also mean fewer routine cues for the body to anchor to. Less daylight. Less structure. Less movement.

The good rules for sleep don’t change much from your twenties onwards:

1. Keep a regular schedule: Go to bed and get up at roughly the same time each day.
2. Get outside: A morning walk is gold for the body clock.
3. Move daily: Regular physical activity (even gentle walking) is linked to falling asleep faster and sleeping more deeply.
4. Watch the late-day caffeine and alcohol: The body becomes less efficient at processing both as we age. A coffee that didn’t bother you at 50 might keep you up at 70.
5. Trim the late-day naps: A 20-minute snooze before mid-afternoon is fine for most. Long ones, or naps too close to bedtime, often steal from your night.
6. Get a mattress that actually supports you: A good mattress should ease pressure on your shoulders, hips and back. If you think yours if not providing enough support, read our personal comfort guide for advice.
7. Build a wind-down ritual: A warm bath, a book, gentle music. Anything that signals to your brain that the day’s almost done.
8. Try the 20-minute rule: MedlinePlus suggests getting up and doing something calm in low light, like reading, until you feel sleepy again.

Some sleep changes are simply part of getting older. Others are worth flagging to a GP. According to the NHS, common signs of a sleep problem include:

• Trouble nodding off at bedtime
• Long stretches of lying awake in the small hours
• Waking up several times throughout the night
• Waking up too early and not drifting off again
• A persistent dip in mood
• Difficulty concentrating during the day
• Feeling snappier than usual

Many sleep problems respond very well to treatment, so a chat with your GP is rarely wasted. If you’re feeling generally exhausted, our piece on signs of extreme tiredness is a useful place to check in.

You don’t need less sleep just because you’ve added more candles to your birthday cake. You might be getting less, but that’s a different story. Knowing what’s changed gives you a head start on putting some of it right. A comfortable, well-loved bed helps too.

For more on resting well at every life stage, browse the rest of The Sleep Matters Club. It’s full of advice from real experts, including our resident sleep specialist, Sammy Margo.