Memory and learning
Your brain organizes and stores memories while you sleep. Poor sleep can make it harder to concentrate, learn, and remember things.
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Sleep better
Find a sleep habit that fits your life.
Check in with your usual routine and choose one thing to try. A small change is a good place to start.
In this guide: tools & detailed reading
What does your routine look like?
This is a reflection on habits. It cannot diagnose or rule out a sleep disorder.
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One small step for tonight
You can also skip the check-in and start with a habit.
A small place to start
Choose a regular wake-up time
A regular sleep schedule can help your body settle into a rhythm. Pick a time that fits your life.
Choose a different sleep habit
A small place to start
Make room for a quiet bedtime routine
A familiar, calming activity can help you prepare for sleep. Try reading or listening to quiet music.
A small place to start
Choose a caffeine-free evening drink
Caffeine can make it harder to fall asleep. Try a caffeine-free alternative that suits your dietary needs.
A small place to start
Make one small change to your sleep space
A quiet, comfortably cool bedroom can help. Keep the route to the bathroom well lit and clear.
Talk with a healthcare professional if you keep having trouble sleeping, feel very sleepy during the day, or snore with breathing pauses or gasping. Ask before starting or changing sleep medicines or supplements.
Notice how your sleep feels
A rough estimate is fine. Saving the same date replaces that entry. Your latest 30 entries are kept.
Understand your sleep
How can sleep change with age?
Sleep can become lighter, and you may feel sleepy earlier. Persistent tiredness or sleep problems that affect your day deserve a conversation with your healthcare team.
What could I ask my healthcare professional?
- Could my medicines or health conditions be affecting my sleep?
- Should we check for sleep apnea or another sleep problem?
- What non-medicine options are suitable for my situation?
If you are helping someone else
Ask which changes bother them most. With their agreement, help keep a sleep diary and bring observations such as breathing pauses or gasping to an appointment.
Keep exploring
The details behind everyday choices
Read as much as you like, and print the sections you want to return to.
What sleep does for your body
Heart and immune health
Sleep supports the systems that regulate blood pressure, metabolism, and immune function. Long-term sleep problems deserve attention alongside other health concerns.
Mood and everyday energy
Lack of sleep can leave you stressed, anxious, or irritable. Notice whether you feel rested and can do everyday activities, as well as how many hours you sleep.
The 4 stages of sleep
Sleep moves through three non-REM stages and REM sleep in repeating cycles. The balance changes through the night and with age; no single stage tells you whether you slept well.
Stage 1: light sleep
The transition from wakefulness into sleep. You are easily awakened.
Stage 2: settling into sleep
Heart rate and breathing slow, and body temperature drops. This stage makes up a substantial part of the night.
Stage 3: deep sleep
This is the deepest non-REM sleep and is usually more common early in the night. It becomes less abundant with age.
REM: active brain, dreaming
Brain activity increases and vivid dreaming is common. REM periods tend to grow longer later in the night. Both REM and non-REM sleep support learning and memory.
Read the sources
Sleep needs and changes with age
How many hours?
CDC lists 7–9 hours for ages 61–64 and 7–8 hours for ages 65+. These are general recommendations. Repeated waking or feeling very sleepy despite enough time in bed also matters.
Lighter sleep and earlier mornings
You may feel sleepy earlier, wake earlier, or spend less time in deep sleep as you age. Pain, medicines, breathing problems, and nighttime bathroom trips can also interrupt sleep. Persistent poor sleep is worth investigating rather than accepting as inevitable.
Read the sources
Daily sleep tips
Choose one or two ideas to try. Use the sleep diary above to notice whether the change helps.
Select ideas you want to remember. Selections stay on this page only.
Sleep problems, medicines, and getting help
Signs to bring to a clinician
- Loud snoring with breathing pauses or gasping.
- Restless legs, repeated waking, or trouble falling asleep that affects your day.
- Daytime sleepiness that interferes with activities or driving. Do not drive while sleepy.
- Nighttime wandering or ongoing confusion. Sudden new confusion needs urgent assessment.
Ask about CBT-I and medicine effects
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is usually the first treatment for long-term insomnia. It works on sleep habits and thoughts about sleep. Some prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids can cause next-day drowsiness, confusion, or falls, particularly in older adults. Ask a clinician or pharmacist about benefits, risks, and non-medicine options before starting or changing them.
If you are helping someone
Ask permission to note bedtime, waking, naps, breathing pauses, and medicine timing. Describe observations without diagnosing. Make the bedroom and nighttime walking route comfortable and safe, and bring the diary to appointments.
Read the sources
Follow the sources
Guide updated: September 14, 2026
An educational guide, not an individual diagnosis or treatment plan. Discuss choices with your healthcare team. Source organizations do not endorse this site.