A neurologist has named the age at which a person needs the least sleep

A neurologist has named the age at which a person needs the least sleep

It depends on a variety of factors.

neurologist, member of the Association for Interdisciplinary Medicine

In all periods of life, a person needs different amounts of time for night rest. Children have the longest sleep duration – eight to nine hours. A child’s brain processes large amounts of new information, so it needs adequate rest.

People from 20 to 55 years old also need a full recovery of the body during sleep. During this period of life, a person is most active – he receives education, builds a career, creates a family. Energy expenditure will be replenished with the help of a healthy full rest, so it is recommended that an adult sleep for seven to eight hours.

The least time for sleep is required for people over 65 years of age – six hours. In elderly people, experts note a shortening of night sleep, as the body does not need such an active recovery as before.

This can be explained by less intellectual and physical activity during the day, as well as the opportunity to take a nap during the day. Also, in people over the age of 65, the brain begins to produce fewer neurotransmitters that are responsible for sleep.

Another reason why a person of retirement age has less time to rest at night is the presence of serious diseases. Against the background of Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety disorders, joint diseases can cause problems with the depth of sleep and insomnia.

Older people are more likely to wake up at night. Over the years, the boundary of the norm of deep sleep shifts, it becomes more sensitive and intermittent. That is why even soft sounds can wake up an adult.

The duration of night rest depends on the characteristics of the body. If in youth a person slept for five or six hours, then in old age he will not need much time to restore the body at night.

The duration of deep sleep decreases over the years. Nevertheless, doctors recommend that people over 65 years of age sleep at least seven to eight hours. Lack of sleep provokes structural changes in the brain, impairs memory and increases the risk of dementia.