Did your sleep change in your 40s? You are not alone
Did your sleep change in your 40s? It’s a common change. This Short sums up what two large studies found about deep sleep and age, and three simple habits that still make a difference, in twenty seconds.
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Made with AI. Parts of this video are AI-generated (see “How this was made” below).
What it says
A JAMA study that measured the sleep of healthy men aged 16 to 83 found that most of the drop in deep (slow-wave) sleep happens between young adulthood and midlife. A large review of sleep studies across the lifespan found that sleep tends to get lighter and more broken with each decade. It’s a normal change, not a sign that something is wrong with you, and habits still matter: the National Institute on Aging suggests a steady schedule, daylight and a cool, dark, quiet bedroom.
What you can do
Pick a wake time you can keep most days, including weekends, and get outside in daylight early. Keep the bedroom cool and dark, and if small sounds wake you more than they used to, a steady sound like our 8-hour deep brown noise can cover them. Our how much sleep do I need tool shows the ranges by age. If your problem is waking far too early, our Short on waking at 4 AM after 40 looks at that.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. If poor sleep is wearing you down, a doctor can help.
About these Shorts
Our “If you’re 40+” Shorts look at one way sleep changes in midlife, with the sources listed below. There is no voice: the points appear as text over an AI-made picture of a leaf on a still lake.
Lighter sleep, same need
Lighter sleep doesn’t mean you need less of it. Adults of all ages are generally advised to aim for about seven to nine hours, so if your nights have become shorter and more broken, protecting your sleep window matters more, not less. Small, steady changes tend to help more than one big fix.
Transcript
There is no narration. The on-screen text, in order:
If you’re 40+
Did your sleep change in your 40s?
Deep sleep drops sharply between young adulthood and midlife. (Source: Van Cauter et al., JAMA 2000)
Sleep gets lighter and more broken with each decade. (Source: Ohayon et al., Sleep 2004)
What helps: a steady wake time, daylight, a cool dark room. (Source: National Institute on Aging)
How this was made
No voice. The leaf on the lake is an AI-generated still image; the text and the soft pad underneath are made by SleepBetter.
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Free toolHow much sleep do I need?
Enter an age to see the recommended hours of sleep from the National Sleep Foundation’s expert panel.
Sources
- Van Cauter E, Leproult R, Plat L. Age-related changes in slow wave sleep and REM sleep and relationship with growth hormone and cortisol levels in healthy men. JAMA, 2000.
- Ohayon MM, Carskadon MA, Guilleminault C, Vitiello MV. Meta-analysis of quantitative sleep parameters from childhood to old age in healthy individuals. Sleep, 2004.
- National Institute on Aging. Sleep and Older Adults.
Sleep videos and guided relaxation are for general wellness, not medical advice. If poor sleep is affecting your days, talk to a doctor or a sleep specialist.