As the years roll by, it’s no secret that sleep problems tend to increase. If you’ve found that achieving a good night’s rest has become increasingly elusive, you’re not alone.
It’s a common misconception that as we age, our need for sleep diminishes. In fact, according to Rosanne M. Leipzig, a professor specializing in geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, older individuals typically require the same amount of sleep as their younger counterparts – generally, seven to eight hours of quality sleep.
However, research from a 2022 study published in the journal BMC Public Health indicates that approximately 30 percent of older individuals receive less than the recommended seven hours of sleep on a daily basis. Alarmingly, nearly 20 percent of them report experiencing frequent insomnia or a decline in sleep quality.