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Consistently getting good sleep is one of the most important habits for supporting your health both short-term and long-term.
You already know how difficult getting through the day can be when you haven’t slept well the night before. Everything just seems so much harder and your mood definitely takes a hit. There’s a scientific reason for this: Research shows that poor sleep causes measurable lapses in sustained attention, slowed reaction time and heightened mental fatigue. It also dampens positive emotions and heightens negative emotions.
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The impact is even more devastating long-term when someone consistently doesn't get enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep has been scientifically linked to raising the risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders (such as type 2 diabetes and obesity) and cognitive decline.
If you’re 60 or older, you might have noticed that you’re naturally waking up earlier than you used to. While this is common with age, it might be giving you pause. After all, wouldn’t getting more sleep be beneficial as we get older to protect the aging brain?
Parade talked to sleep doctors about how sleep needs change with age and exactly how many hours of sleep people 60 and older should aim to get.
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How Sleep Supports the Aging Brain
PSA: You are never too old to start prioritizing your health, and focusing on consistently getting enough sleep is a great place to start. “Sleep is one of the best investments we can make in our brain health,” says Dr. Natalie Dautovich, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Humanities and Sciences and who specializes in sleep research.
Dr. Dautovich explains that during sleep is when the brain consolidates memories, processes new information and clears away metabolic waste that accumulates throughout the day. “We know that people who regularly get healthy sleep tend to perform better on tasks involving attention, learning and memory. While sleep isn't a guarantee against cognitive decline, it's one of several healthy lifestyle behaviors, including regular exercise, social engagement and managing cardiovascular health, that can help support healthy brain aging,” she says.
Related: This 3-Minute Habit Could Help You Sleep Through the Night
Dr. Heidi Ewen, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, a behavioral scientist, gerontologist and nursing associate professor at SUNY Binghamton’s Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, adds to this, saying, “Sleep is when our body deeply relaxes and resets our internal systems. Dreaming helps us make sense of new information and process information.”
According to a scientific article published in the journal Sleep Medicine Clinics, longitudinal studies show that poor sleep is associated with higher rates of both cognitive decline and depression. It also increases the risk of disability in basic activities of daily living and the risk of falling.
How Much Sleep Adults 60 and Older Need
With this in mind, how much sleep should adults 60 and older aim to get to minimize these risks? Dr. Dautovich recommends aiming for between seven and eight hours. This aligns with the recommendations set by the National Sleep Foundation. For comparison, it’s recommended that adults ages 18 to 64 get between seven and nine hours of sleep.
These guidelines were based on 133 different meta-analyses, taking into account 3,222 scientific studies. Researchers found that men and women need the same amount of sleep in each life stage, from childhood to old age. However, the recommended amount of sleep changes at certain points throughout one’s life. For example, newborns all the way through age 17 require more sleep than adults to support human development and growth.
“[The recommendation of adults over 65 getting seven to eight hours of sleep] is the amount associated with the best physical, mental and cognitive health for most people,” Dr. Dautovich says. “Sleep is when the body and brain do much of their repair work, so consistently getting enough sleep helps support everything from mood and immune function to memory and heart health.”
Related: 13 Weird Ways Your Body Tells You That You Need More Sleep
Why It’s Common for People Over 60 to Naturally Wake up Earlier
Both experts explain that one common change that happens with age is naturally waking up earlier. “Our circadian rhythms slowly change with age,” Dr. Ewen says. She explains that many older people wake early, sleep fewer hours a night and often have an afternoon nap.
Dr. Dautovich agrees, explaining that many older adults notice that they get sleepy earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning than they used to. “This change in sleep timing is primarily because our circadian rhythm, or internal body clock, naturally shifts earlier with age,” she says.
At the same time, sleep often becomes lighter and more fragmented with age, so older adults may wake up more during the night or have trouble falling back asleep. “We also spend more time in deep sleep in the first half of the night. Therefore, it’s easier to wake up earlier in the morning because we all are spending less time in deep sleep during the second half of the night,” Dr. Dautovich explains.
Dr. Ewen says that waking up earlier, sleeping fewer hours at night and having an afternoon nap is actually how our bodies have been designed to work, but the cultural demands of work get in the way of this. “Once we’re retired or the kids are grown, our bodies resume this natural rhythm. Most people report feeling fully or better rested than earlier in life," she adds.
Dr. Ewen emphasizes that sleep hygiene is complicated by social and cultural factors. “We often place societal demands above our bodily needs. Psychologist Karen Horney coined the term ‘tyranny of the shoulds,’ which means that we behave in ways we are told we 'should' rather than doing what we think is best. Sleep expectations are no different. Old age is the perfect time to embrace our internal sleep-wake cycle,” she tells Parade.
Both experts say that there isn’t one ideal time that people 60 and older should wake up. What’s more important is that you wake up feeling well-rested. That said, Dr. Dautovich says that circadian rhythm loves regularity, so it’s best to go to bed and wake up at relatively the same time every day.
If you find that you aren’t waking up refreshed or have trouble getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night, Dr. Dautovich recommends talking to your healthcare provider. “One misconception is that poor sleep is simply an unavoidable part of aging. While some changes in sleep are normal, chronic insomnia, loud snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness shouldn't be ignored. If sleep problems are affecting your daily life, talk with your healthcare provider because many sleep disorders are treatable,” she says.
Remember, it’s never too late to improve your sleep. “Small habits, like keeping a regular sleep schedule, getting morning light, staying physically active and limiting bright light at night, can have meaningful benefits for your sleep and your overall health,” Dr. Dautovich says.
Prioritizing sleep isn’t just important for having enough energy to get through the day. It’s important for supporting your long-term health too.
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Sources
- Alhola, P. and Polo-Kantola, P. (2007). Sleep deprivation: Impact on cognitive performance.Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 3(5):553-567.
- Hyndych, A., El-Abassi, R. and Mader Jr., E. C. (2025). The Role of Sleep and the Effects of Sleep Loss on Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Processes. Cureus. 17(5):e84232.
- Sanjay Shah, A., Raj Pant, M., Bommasamudram, T., et al. (2025). Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Physical and Mental Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review.American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. doi: 10.1177/15598276251346752.
- Dr. Natalie Dautovich, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Humanities and Sciences who specializes in sleep research.
- Dr. Heidi Ewen, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE, behavioral scientist, gerontologist and nursing associate professor at SUNY Binghamton’s Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
- Miner, B. and Kryger, M. H. (2018). Sleep in the Aging Population. Sleep Medicine Clinics. 12(1):31-38.
- National Sleep Foundation Reaffirms Landmark Sleep Duration Recommendations. National Sleep Foundation.
