Does good sleep get tougher with age?

Sleep habits often change as people age - and often result in less deep restorative sleep. Simply put, good sleep does get tougher with age.

Recent research suggests older people who suffer from sleep fragmentation tend to experience problems such as dementia and depression. Other findings were:

• Sleep fragmentation leads to frequent awakening during the night which leads to failure to get deep restorative sleep

• Poor sleep is linked to loss of mental skills and memory.

• Sleep, exercise and a healthy diet are critical for maintaining good health.

Older people can improve their sleep by fitting physical and social activity into their daily routine. At night, make sure the bedroom temperature is comfortable and limit exposure to artificial light - especially the blue glow of computer and TV screens.

For more information on sleep related issues, such as snoring to sleep apnoea, see our

.