ANCSLEEP BLOG

In recent years, cannabidiol (CBD) has gained popularity as a natural remedy for a variety of health issues, including sleep disorders. Many people turn to CBD products to help them fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and improve the overall quality of their sleep. However, despite its growing use, there are potential risks and considerations that users should be aware of. This blog post explores the potential dangers associated with using CBD products for sleep and emphasizes the importance of informed usage.

Sleep is a critical component of health, particularly during childhood and adolescence. Establishing healthy sleep habits at a young age not only supports immediate well-being but also sets the foundation for long-term health. This blog post explores how sleeping habits developed in youth impact us as we grow older, highlighting the importance of fostering good sleep hygiene from an early age.

What are the changes to sleep as we age?

As an adult, you should be averaging between 7-9 hours of sleep every day. These figures are extensively researched and you should be dubious when someone says that they can do fine with 5 hours of sleep.

The keyword here is 7-9 hours every day, not necessarily at night. People who sleep 4-5 hours at night will need to supplement their sleep with naps in order to get the necessary sleep. When you are younger, you likely had little trouble getting at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. But your sleep pattern changes as you age, and after 65 years of age, the idea of getting 7 straight hours of sleep may sound impossible.

Generally speaking, as you get older, your sleep pattern changes in the following ways:

• You will likely sleep less than 7 hours at night
• Your sleep may feel less restful during the night
• You may be more inclined to nap
• The times that you go to bed and wake up will also likely change

While your pattern might change, your need for getting a certain amount of sleep won’t change. These changes happen for life reasons (stress, children, jobs), hormonal changes, and natural physiological changes that make you more susceptible to certain sleep disorders.

What Happens to Sleep As We Age?

As an adult, you should be averaging between 7-9 hours of sleep every day. This is extensively researched and claims of success with less than 7 hours of sleep should be taken with a grain of salt.

Although 7-9 hours a day is recommended, these hours don't necessarily have to happen at night or all at once. People who sleep 4-5 hours at night will need to supplement their sleep with naps in order to get their necessary hours of sleep. When you are younger, you likely had little to no trouble getting at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. But your sleep pattern changes as you age, and after 65 years of age, getting 7 straight hours of sleep may seem impossible.

Generally speaking, as one gets older, their sleep pattern changes in the following ways:

• They will likely sleep less than 7 hours at night
• Their sleep may feel less restful during the night
• They may be more inclined to nap
• The times that they go to bed and wake up will also likely change

While sleep patterns might change, the need to get a certain amount of sleep won’t change. These changes happen for life reasons (stress, children, jobs), hormonal changes, and natural physiological changes that makes one more susceptible to certain sleep disorders.

Getting Older Often Means More Sleep Problems

As you get older, the likelihood that you will develop or report sleeping issues will increase with age. This is because sleep patterns will change over time, requiring you to adapt in order to acquire adequate sleep. Examples of these changes include:

• You will likely sleep less than 7 hours at night
• Your sleep may feel less restful during the night
• You may be more inclined to nap
• The times that you go to bed and wake up will also likely change

As an adult, you should average 7-9 hours of sleep every day. However, these hours do not have to be continuous.

Younger individuals often have less challenges with sleeping throughout the night uninterrupted. But as sleep patterns change with age, getting the same amount of uninterrupted sleep may seem impossible.

Regardless, it's still vital for the body to obtain 7-9 hours of sleep. To obtain this, even with shorter sleeping periods at night, older adults often have to supplement their nightly sleep with long, daily naps, or separate their sleep into two long sessions with a break of wakefulness. The method in which one acquires this sleep is irrelevant, but what is important, is that getting the requisite amount of sleep is a conscious effort that requires intention and planning. 

The causes of the changes are multifactorial - stress, family, job changes, hormones, nature - and can make one more susceptible to certain sleep disorders. Let’s look at some of the sleep disorders that are more common in older people.