Older adults still need roughly the same amount of sleep as younger ones, but it tends to come in lighter, more broken pieces. You can't rewind the clock. You can, however, set up the last hour of the day so your body knows what's coming.
A one-hour routine
- 60 minutes out: close the kitchen. No more big drinks, no alcohol "nightcap." A few sips with medicine are fine.
- 45 minutes out: dim the house. Lower lights and put the phone on the charger in another room if you can.
- 30 minutes out: something slow. A book, a crossword, a short walk round the block on a mild night. Skip the news.
- 15 minutes out: the bathroom, twice. Go, brush your teeth, go again.
- Lights out at the same time. A steady bedtime and a steady wake-up time, weekends included, does more than any gadget.
What happens earlier counts too
- Morning light. Get outside early. Daylight helps set the body clock that decides when you get sleepy.
- Caffeine by lunch. Its effects can last for hours. Moving the last cup earlier is an easy win.
- Daytime movement. People who are active during the day tend to sleep more soundly at night.
- Short naps, early. If you nap, keep it under 30 minutes and before mid-afternoon.
When to bring it up with a doctor. Loud snoring with pauses in breathing, waking up exhausted most days, or getting up several times every night are worth a conversation. Some of the causes are easy to check.
Sources
About this guide. General information for adult readers, not medical advice. It can't account for your health history or medicines, so talk to your doctor before acting on it. How we work: editorial standards.