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If you’re over 50 and your sleep has suddenly become unpredictable, restless or just less satisfying, it might feel frustrating — but it’s also completely normal. What most people don’t realise is that sleep itself changes with age. The way our brains cycle through sleep stages is different at 55 than it was at 35, so it makes perfect sense that old tactics don’t always work anymore.
Scientists have found that the deepest stage of sleep, the kind that genuinely repairs the body and clears out the brain, starts to decline after middle age. That’s one major reason people in their fifties often say they wake up feeling “tired but wired”, even after a full night in bed. Hormones get involved too. For women, declining oestrogen during perimenopause and menopause plays havoc with temperature control and sleep regulation. Night sweats, sudden wake-ups and that familiar “bolt upright at 3 a.m.” feeling all become far more common. Men face their own quieter changes — testosterone drops steadily after 50, and that can reduce both the quality and duration of sleep.
Another piece of the puzzle is our internal body clock. Many people don’t realise that circadian rhythms move earlier as we age — meaning you genuinely are sleepy earlier in the evening and likely to wake earlier in the morning. That isn’t insomnia, even though it can feel like it. Your body may simply be running on a slightly different timetable than before.
For women in particular, menopause can be a turning point in sleep quality. Hot flashes may come and go, but for many the bigger issue becomes frequent waking and the inability to fall back asleep once they’ve stirred. Hormone replacement therapy helps some women, but it isn’t for everyone. Interestingly, sleep specialists now recommend cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as a first-line treatment because it has been shown to work better long term than sleeping pills for many women navigating menopause.
Sleep issues in men are much more likely to go unreported, often dismissed as “just age” or snoring. But sleep apnoea, which causes breathing to repeatedly pause during the night, becomes increasingly common after 50, particularly in men, and it wreaks havoc on sleep quality. Tiredness, irritability, lack of focus or even memory slips may all come from poor sleep rather than ageing itself. The good news is that proper assessment and treatment (which might include a night-time breathing device) can make a dramatic difference in just a few weeks.
Many well-meaning pieces of sleep advice (“avoid caffeine after midday”, “don’t nap”) were written with younger adults in mind. What seems to matter far more in our fifties and beyond is understanding how our bodies are changing. Room temperature suddenly becomes a critical factor because our ability to regulate body heat weakens slightly as we age. Daylight exposure is another surprisingly important piece – older eyes need lots of bright, natural light during the day to keep that internal clock ticking on time. Then there’s technology: although total avoidance of screens is unrealistic, turning on blue-light filters in the evening or wearing amber glasses after sundown can help older brains wind down properly. You may like to try a light therapy lamp during darker months, and use blackout curtains or eye masks at night.
The important thing to remember is that poor sleep isn’t just an annoyance – it is increasingly linked with heart health, mood disorders, memory problems and even the risk of falls. Loud snoring or breathing interruptions can signal sleep apnea issues. If you find yourself repeatedly struggling to drift off, waking often throughout the night or feeling bone-tired during the day, it’s worth talking to your doctor. Sometimes you will require a simple fix such as adjusting medication times, treating mild apnoea, or learning a few skills to reset your sleep patterns.
Blue light from screens affects melatonin production more significantly in older adults. Try using blue light filtering glasses or apps that adjust screen colour temperature after sunset. Also, consider wearable sleep trackers, but use them wisely. Obsessing over sleep metrics can create anxiety. Focus on how you feel rather than achieving perfect numbers.
Start with one change at a time. Keep a sleep diary for two weeks to identify patterns. Many people discover their sleep problems correlate with specific activities, foods, or issues that cause stress. Then consider your medications. Many common prescriptions for conditions like high blood pressure or depression can affect sleep. Don’t stop medications without consulting your doctor, but discuss alternatives if sleep disruption is severe. One option that may help is to create a wind-down ritual that signals bedtime. This might include gentle stretching, reading, or meditation. Consistency matters more than the specific activities.
At the root, the aim isn’t to sleep the way you did in your twenties. That expectation alone can cause endless frustration. Instead, the goal is to give your body and brain the kind of sleep that supports the life you’re living now. And the encouraging news? Many people in their fifties and sixties find that with a few clever adjustments and a willingness to adapt to their changing bodies, their sleep becomes not only becomes good, but in some cases, the best it’s been in years.
