--- title: "Age and Sleep: How our sleep changes from childhood to adulthood" description: Sleep needs change as we age from childhood to adulthood. Why? image: https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/Website_Redesign_Photos/KIDS_JPGS-65_long_website.jpg --- **[![ASMS_logo_shadow_round](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ASMS_logo_shadow_round.png?width=200&name=ASMS_logo_shadow_round.png "ASMS_logo_shadow_round")](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/)** **Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc.** The Sleep Experts`®` (877) 775-3377 ## Sleep Better, Live Better Blog ### *We believe that education is the first step to finding better sleep. Our articles educate people on sleep news, sleep disorders, and sleep care to help them achieve better health and live better lives. * *Thanks for joining the conversation.* ## [Age and Sleep: How our sleep changes from childhood to adulthood](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/age-and-sleep-how-our-sleep-changes-from-childhood-to-adulthood) Posted by [Julia Steele Rodriguez](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/author/julia-steele-rodriguez) Find me on: [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/julia.steele818) [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliasteele) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/juliasteelerod) Nov 18, 2015 9:00:00 AM ![](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Website_Redesign_Photos/KIDS_JPGS-65_long_website.jpg?width=544&name=KIDS_JPGS-65_long_website.jpg)   Age and sleep are closely related, and many people will notice a significant decline in the quality of sleep as they grow older. According the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, sleep patterns change throughout life, and for most of us, the amount of time we spend sleeping each day slowly decreases as we age. ## Two main types of sleep There are two main types of sleep: REM (rapid-eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid-eye movement). REM sleep is associated with dreaming, and NREM sleep occurs in three stages-N1 (light sleep), N2 (slightly deeper), and N3 (slow-wave deep sleep). Sleep cycles are composed of REM and NREM sleep, typically lasting for about 50 minutes in children and 90 minutes in adults. The main difference between a child's sleep cycle and an adult's is the amount of time spent in the N3 stage-children spend far more time in this slow-wave deep sleep than adults, meaning that adults wake more easily and frequently. ## Sleep rhythms Another factor that affects sleep patterns is the circadian pacemaker. Simply put, circadian rhythms determine when the body begins to feel sleepy and when it awakens. These rhythms shift as we age. Children, adults, and seniors experience different sleep patterns based on many factors. ## **Children and sleep** Newborns typically spend between 16 and 20 hours sleeping each day. The hours a child spends sleeping gradually diminishes to about 11 hours by the time they reach the age of four, and continues to decline until the adolescent years, when a teenager requires only nine hours of sleep.  Children and teens generally spend more time in a deep sleep than adults. The most obvious change from childhood to adolescence is in the circadian rhythm-teens often seem tired or experience trouble sleeping due to the change in their internal clocks. Due to these changes in rhythm, a teen's body wants to be awake later into the night and sleep later in the morning. These late nights in conjunction with the need to wake up early for school causes shortened sleep duration, which can leave a teen feeling sleepy, tired, and never fully rested. [Check out additional information about children and sleep here.](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/children-and-sleep) ## **Adults and sleep** According to WebMD, the most drastic sleep changes occur gradually between the ages of 19 and 60. By the age of 20, the amount of time a person spends in deep sleep is cut in half (children generally spend 50% of their night in deep sleep). It is not uncommon for people to completely lose the ability to reach that type of deep sleep by the age of 40. The challenges of adulthood (careers, bills, marriage, children) often cause stress that affects sleep. Women typically face more sleep problems than men due to hormonal and mental changes connected with pregnancy, menopause, and parenthood. Stress and worry from parenting are often a cause of insomnia and disrupted sleep in women.  ## **Seniors and sleep** Seniors often experience more difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep. They experience shorter periods of slow-wave sleep (the deep sleep with no dreaming), which means they spend more time in a lighter sleep and wake up more frequently. Circadian rhythms change more during senior years, making a person tired earlier in the evening, thus leading them to go to bed earlier at night and rise earlier in the morning.  Although some sleep problems that affect seniors can be attributed to growing older, most arise from chronic medical conditions. Health issues such as arthritis, congestive heart failure, gastroesophageal reflux disorder,[ sleep apnea](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/health-effects-of-sleep-apnea), [restless leg syndrome, and periodic limb movement](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleep-disorders) can all impact sleep patterns. [Insomnia](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/insomnia-causes-symptoms-treatment) can also be a side effect of many medications used to treat these health problems. Behavioral, lifestyle, and social changes such as the death of a loved one, retirement, or moving into a nursing home can also negatively impact sleep patterns ([learn more about good sleep habits here](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/good-sleep-habits)).  ### Concerned that you or a loved one (child, spouse or parent) isn't sleeping properly? Learn more about testing for sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, which affect over 20 million Americans of all ages. [![Learn more about sleep disorders](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/299691/982d11e2-7b1b-412a-a7f7-e1d16777de69.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/299691/982d11e2-7b1b-412a-a7f7-e1d16777de69)   Sources:  [http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/science/variations/changes-in-sleep-with-age](http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/science/variations/changes-in-sleep-with-age)  [http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/living-with-insomnia-11/sleep-changes?page=2](http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/living-with-insomnia-11/sleep-changes?page=2)  Topics: [Good Sleep Habits](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/good-sleep-habits), [Kids and Sleep](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/kids-and-sleep) ## Share this blog post: [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fage-and-sleep-how-our-sleep-changes-from-childhood-to-adulthood%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fage-and-sleep-how-our-sleep-changes-from-childhood-to-adulthood%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fage-and-sleep-how-our-sleep-changes-from-childhood-to-adulthood%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fage-and-sleep-how-our-sleep-changes-from-childhood-to-adulthood%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Age%20and%20Sleep%3A%20How%20our%20sleep%20changes%20from%20childhood%20to%20adulthood) [![Share on Pinterest](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/pinterest-24x24.png)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fage-and-sleep-how-our-sleep-changes-from-childhood-to-adulthood%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fage-and-sleep-how-our-sleep-changes-from-childhood-to-adulthood%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fage-and-sleep-how-our-sleep-changes-from-childhood-to-adulthood%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ### Subscribe to Email Updates Search our blog Search ### Posts by Topic - [Children and Sleep (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/children-and-sleep) - [Coffee (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/coffee) - [CPAP Alternatives (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-alternatives) - [CPAP Supplies (9)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-supplies) - [CPAP Treatment (25)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-treatment) - [Diabetes (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/diabetes) - [Doctor's Opinion (4)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/doctors-opinion) - [Economics of Sleep Medicine (15)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/economics-of-sleep-medicine) - [Good Sleep Habits (59)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/good-sleep-habits) - [Health Insurance (20)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/health-insurance) - [Heart Disease (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/heart-disease) - [Insomnia (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/insomnia) - [Job-Related Sleep Disorders (7)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/job-related-sleep-disorders) - [Kids and Sleep (20)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/kids-and-sleep) - [Narcolepsy (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/narcolepsy) - [Preparing for your sleep study (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/preparing-for-your-sleep-study) - [Sex and Sleep (7)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sex-and-sleep) - [Sleep and Exercise (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-exercise) - [Sleep and Society (41)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-society) - [Sleep Apnea (60)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-apnea) - [Sleep Business (3)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-business) - [Sleep Disorders (30)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-disorders) - [Sleep Studies (30)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-studies) - [Telemedicine (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/telemedicine) - [Treating Sleep Apnea (29)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/treating-sleep-apnea) - [Women and Sleep (14)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/women-and-sleep) ### Most viewed posts ### Recent Posts **Contact Us:** Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc. Corporate Office 17835 Ventura Blvd. Suite 300 Encino, CA 91316 Phone (877) 775-3377 Fax (877) 855-6227  [info@sleepdr.com](mailto:info@sleepdr.com) ## **Top Links:** [Frequently asked questions (FAQs) ](http://www.sleepdr.com/frequently-asked-questions)[Download Service Request Form (Rx) ](http://www.sleepdr.com/service_request_form)[Request medical records ](http://www.sleepdr.com/request-medical-records)[See a complete list of locations ](http://www.sleepdr.com/locations)[Schedule an appointment ](http://www.sleepdr.com/schedule)[Sleep Better, Live Better Blog ](http://www.sleepdr.com/sleepbetterblog)[Contact us](http://www.sleepdr.com/contact) **About Us:** Our mission is to empower sufferers of sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, to lead more fulfilling lives by improving their sleep. We believe that by caring for and educating our patients and diagnosing and treating their sleep disorders we can help them achieve better health. With 20 locations across California, we are the leading provider of in-center and in-home (HST) sleep studies, PAP therapeutic devices, and replacement PAP supplies. We are contracted with more than 300 medical groups and commercial health plans. We partner with independent physicians who are at the forefront of the field of sleep medicine and together we provide high-quality, affordable, result-oriented and patient-centric diagnostic and therapeutic sleep medicine services. We strive to make all our interactions with patients, referring physicians, coworkers, and others courteous, caring and professional and we consider each interaction with our patients as an opportunity to live up to our commitment to the highest standards of patient care.  ### Subscribe to our blog: [![Twitter link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/twitter-865437-edited.png "Twitter link")](https://twitter.com/mysleepdr)[![Facebook link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/facebook-square-750598-edited.png "Facebook link")](https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedSleepMedicine)[![LinkedIn link](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/linkedin-815276-edited.png "LinkedIn link")](https://www.linkedin.com/company/advanced-sleep-medicine-services-inc) ## Original photos by Francisco Crow [www.fc-images.net](http://www.fc-images.net) All rights reserved. Our administrative offices AND sleep centers will be closed on Monday, September 5, 2016 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.