FIGURE 4.5 Sleep over the Lifespan Sleep quality changes significantly over the life-span. In particular, notice that slow-wave sleep decreases over the lifespan, as does total sleep time. By middle adulthood, people are more likely to experience wakefulness after sleep onset. Adults aged 55 years and older often take longer to fall asleep, which is technically called sleep latency (Bootzin & Epstein, 2011).

Source: Republished with permission of American Academy of Sleep Medicine, from Ohayon, M. M.; Carskadon, M. A.; Guilleminault, C.; & Vitiello, M. V. (2004). Meta-analysis of quantitative sleep parameters from childhood to old age in healthy individuals: Developing normative sleep values across the human lifespan. Sleep, 27(7), 1255–1273; permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.