As we age, our sleep patterns and needs change. For a 77 year old woman, getting enough high quality sleep is essential for overall health and wellbeing. But how much sleep does a 77 year old woman need? Let’s take a closer look.
Sleep Requirements for Older Adults
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults over 65 years of age get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. However, research has shown that many seniors actually need more sleep than this as they age. By age 70, it’s common for sleep needs to increase to 8-9 hours per night. By age 80 and beyond, getting 9 or more hours of sleep may be appropriate.
There are a few reasons for increased sleep needs in older adults:
- Decreased ability to get long, uninterrupted periods of deep, restorative sleep
- Increased number of chronic health conditions that can disrupt sleep
- Side effects of medications that can interfere with sleep
- Increased time spent in lighter stages of sleep rather than deep sleep
All of these factors mean that older women may need more time spent asleep in order to get sufficient high-quality, restorative sleep.
Changes in Sleep Patterns with Age
Not only do sleep requirements change with age, but sleep patterns also often change significantly:
- Older adults tend to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier.
- Frequent nighttime awakenings become more common.
- Daytime napping often increases.
- It becomes harder to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.
- Early morning waking becomes more common.
These kinds of sleep disturbances can make it harder for seniors to get enough continuous, uninterrupted sleep at night. Daytime napping may help compensate but cannot completely make up for lost nighttime sleep.
Poor Sleep Quality in Older Adults
Studies show that older adults often have significantly poorer sleep quality than younger adults. Some of the factors that negatively impact sleep quality include:
- Increased need to urinate at night
- Pain or discomfort from health conditions
- Stress, anxiety or depression
- Dementia resulting in disturbances in the sleep/wake cycle
- Medications that disrupt sleep
- Reduced exposure to natural light
- Lack of regular exercise or physical activity
Poor sleep quality prevents seniors from getting enough time in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. Even if total sleep time is adequate, sleep quality issues can result in daytime fatigue, low energy, cognitive changes, and impaired immune system functioning.
Health Effects of Inadequate Sleep in the Elderly
For seniors, getting sufficient high-quality sleep is essential for maintaining health and preventing disease. Some of the negative effects of inadequate sleep include:
- Weakened immune system, increased risk of infections
- Higher risk of falls and injuries
- Increased inflammation and chronic health issues
- Higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease
- Increased pain
- Mood changes, depression, anxiety
- Decreased quality of life
- Cognitive changes, increased dementia risk
- Earlier mortality
As you can see, ongoing sleep deprivation can significantly impact nearly every aspect of health for older women. Prioritizing healthy sleep is therefore vitally important.
Tips for Better Sleep Quality and Duration
Here are some tips that can help 77 year old women improve their sleep quality and get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night:
- Maintain a regular sleep/wake schedule, even on weekends
- Get exposure to natural daylight, especially in the mornings
- Exercise regularly, but avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime
- Have a relaxing pre-bedtime routine such as reading or light yoga
- Avoid screens, large meals, and caffeine before bedtime
- Make the bedroom comfortable – cool, dark and quiet
- Manage stress and anxious thoughts through practices like meditation
- Avoid fluids for 2 hours before bed to reduce bathroom trips
- Ask your doctor to review medications for sleep-disrupting effects
Making simple lifestyle changes and having good sleep hygiene can make a big difference in improving sleep for older women. Talk to your doctor if you continue having significant sleep problems.
The Importance of Napping for Seniors
Daytime napping is common and often beneficial for older adults. Naps can help make up for lost sleep time at night. Key nap strategies include:
- Take a short nap of 20-30 minutes
- Don’t nap too close to bedtime
- Find a comfortable, reclining nap spot
- Limit light and noise during naps
- If you can’t sleep at night, avoid napping that day
Timing naps appropriately and keeping them short prevents napping from negatively impacting nighttime sleep. Consult your doctor if excessive daytime sleepiness persists.
When to Seek Medical Help
It’s normal for sleep patterns and needs to change as we age. However, it’s advisable to discuss significant, persistent sleep problems with your doctor. Symptoms to discuss include:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep most nights
- Chronic daytime fatigue or sleepiness
- Loud snoring or breathing interruptions
- Unusual behaviors or hallucinations at night
- Excessive tossing and turning or leg movements at night
- Falling asleep unexpectedly during the day
These could indicate an underlying sleep disorder or other medical issue causing poor sleep. Sleep studies or medical treatments may help correct some sleep issues.
Conclusion
Older women have unique sleep needs and patterns. While recommended sleep time is 7-8 hours for most adults, women over 70 often require 8-9 hours of sleep per night. Poor sleep quality and disrupted sleep are also common issues. Getting sufficient, high-quality sleep is essential for maintaining health and wellbeing in older age. Talk to your doctor if you have ongoing problems with sleep quantity or quality.