Minute Tip · Sleep
How much sleep do you need?
The answer does not shrink as you age.
Written tip
The tip
The National Institute on Aging says older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults: seven to nine hours each night.
Sleep does change with age. You may go to bed earlier and wake earlier, sleep can be lighter, and you may wake more often. That is common.
If you are always sleepy, or you find it hard to get enough sleep at night, it may be time to talk with your doctor.
A simple place to start is a two-week sleep diary. Write down when you go to bed and when you get up. It gives you something concrete to bring to the conversation.
Limits: One authoritative source was checked. It is a general amount, and health conditions matter. It cannot tell you whether you have a sleep problem.
Try it today
Pick one bedtime habit to try tonight. Choose one habit from a short list and try it tonight: going to bed at your usual time, a relaxing wind-down such as reading or soft music, or keeping screens out of the bedroom. About 5 minutes.
Go deeper
- Sleep After 50: Why It Changes, What Helps, and What to Do About Insomnia
- More Minute Tips
- Personalize this for me One small step chosen each day from your goals, interests, and limits.
More to read
Sleep After 50: Why It Changes, What Helps, and What to Do About Insomnia
How sleep changes with age, the habits that help, why therapy beats pills for long-running insomnia, and when to bring a sleep problem to your doctor. Read more
One bedtime habit to try tonight
Pick one, not all of them. Read more
Everything on sleep & recovery
How much sleep older adults need, habits that may help, and when to talk with a doctor. Read more
