Sleep Disorders

Sleep Patterns

HOW SLEEP PATTERNS CHANGE OVER LIFETIME

Along with genetics and circadian rhythms, one important factor that helps determine the amount of sleep a person needs nightly is stage of life.

Newborns sleep an average of 16 to 18 hours a day. By the age of one, children usually sleep 13 to 14 hours with that number decreasing until they reach adolescence.

Teenagers generally require at least eight and a half hours of sleep a day. Some researchers go so far as to say that teens need more than nine and a half hours each day. With the pressures of academics, athletics, dating, etc., few teens are getting enough sleep these days. Also, teens’ internal biological clocks tend to keep them awake later in the evening and let them sleep later in the morning than adults. Some high schools have found that ringing the first bell an hour or so later has helped the performance of students. More on adolescent sleep needs.

Most adults need around eight hours of sleep to function well. Although many people claim they require less, only 10% require significantly more or less sleep.

For adult women, pregnancy and menopause can cause significant changes in sleep patterns. In the first three months of pregnancy, mothers-to-be often require significantly more sleep than usual. Scientists are just beginning to research how menopause effects sleep. They have found that menopause tends to cause a decline in the quality of sleep and can lead to insomnia, snoring and sleep apnea. These changes may be due to changes in hormonal function and the psychological factors associated with menopause or may be caused by the aging process and weight gain associated with menopause.

Contrary to the popular belief, the need for sleep does not decline with old age. While the elderly do find that their slumber becomes more fitful, they continue to need about the same amount of sleep that they needed in early adulthood. For this reason, older people tend to nap often during the day. Experts say that the number of nocturnal awakenings can start to increase as early as the age of 40. More on insomnia in older people.

The National Institutes of Health Misconceptions about Sleep.

Circadian Cycles and Sleep

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