ALTHOUGH our sleep patterns can change as we get older, the amount of sleep we need remains unchanged: Seven to nine hours a night. However, this target can be difficult to achieve, as shifting sleep patterns — combined with the natural effects of ageing — can hamper sleep quality. It also helps to understand that sleep patterns will change as you get older, says health scientist and sleep coach Tom Coleman. As a result, we experience less deep sleep.”Deep sleep is where all the physical restoration happens, but light sleep is just as important for health, says Coleman: “Light sleep is where all the cognitive restoration, the emotional restoration, the brain cleaning happens. Don’t undervalue light sleep, it is good for your brain.”However, if you spend most of your night in light sleep, your sleep can be more easily disturbed.

Source: Irish Examiner March 06, 2026 22:15 UTC