How much sleep do older adults need?

What the science says now

How many hours do adults 65 and older need?

The CDC lists 7–8 hours a day for adults 65 and older. For ages 61–64 it lists 7–9 hours. (CDC: About Sleep)

Is it only about hours?

No. The CDC says quality matters too, meaning uninterrupted, refreshing sleep. Signs of poor quality include trouble falling asleep, waking up again and again in the night, and feeling sleepy or tired even after enough sleep. (CDC: About Sleep)

Do longer sleep and naps matter for the mind?

In a study that followed 765 older adults without dementia, people who slept longer at night started with higher scores on money and health know-how. People who napped more had a slower decline over the years. Scores slipped about 1 percentage point per year on average. People who said they slept fewer than 6 hours a night had lower scores at the start. (Sleep and naps linked to slower decline in money and health know-how · Alzheimers Dement)
In people; observational.

Why does waking up groggy matter?

Groggy mornings have a name: sleep inertia, the foggy feeling in the first minutes after waking. In 392 older adults with an average age of 74.5, those in the top quarter of grogginess scores were about twice as likely to report two or more falls in the past year. (Morning grogginess is a clue to falls in older adults, and it’s easy to act on · Sleep Advances)
In people; observational.

Is there a quick way to check your sleep?

Yes. A six-question tool called Ru-SATED looks at regularity, satisfaction, alertness, timing, efficiency and duration. In 2,000 US adults, it clearly told apart people who have a sleep disorder from people who don’t. (Six quick questions show how your sleep is doing, and they work · Sleep)
In people; a questionnaire study, not a trial.

What we don’t know yet

The CDC gives a range, not a number for each person. Our notes can’t tell you the exact hours that are right for you.

The nap and night-sleep study shows links, not proof of cause. We don’t know if more sleep or more napping itself slows the decline. The grogginess study took one snapshot in time, so it can’t show that grogginess causes falls.

When to talk to your doctor

The CDC says to talk to your healthcare provider if you regularly have problems sleeping, or if you notice signs of common sleep disorders such as insomnia, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy or sleep apnea. Your provider can run tests, including sleep studies. You may be asked to keep a sleep diary: when you go to bed, wake in the night, wake in the morning, nap, exercise, drink alcohol or caffeine, and take medicines. (CDC: About Sleep)

Talk about it at dinner

Ask everyone at the table: “What helps you feel rested?” It might be a cozy blanket, a book or a quiet song. Then pick one idea for the whole family to try this week, and see who wakes up feeling best.