#Insomnia #Sleep #Ageing #Brain

Another misconception is that “sleepiness receptors” only decline in middle age. “Sleep architecture” as neurologists call it starts changing when people enter their 20s. In their 40s, overall, they go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. They also find falling asleep more difficult and complain of broken sleep and of waking up feeling tired. When a person hits 50, they are only getting half of the deep sleep they got in their youth. By 70, sleep is really not restful and waking up several times during the night is the norm. It’s also a cliché, but the frequency of naps during the day increases by 25% in people over 75 years old. Half of those naps are unintended.