Sleep Patterns During Afternoon Naps in the Young and Elderly

Abstract

Recently there has been interest in the nocturnal sleep of the elderly. The studies by McGhie and Russel (1962), Weiss et al. (1962), Kales et al. (1967) demonstrated that, compared with young adults, elderly people have a reduced total sleep time, more awakenings following sleep onset and a moderate reduction in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. In other words, elderly people have a more disturbed sleep. While this group have a shortened night's sleep, they are given to taking afternoon naps, and it may be that through these they can compensate for their insomnia at night.