Whats the ideal number of hours of sleep for people aging 40 and up???

Answer 1

Seven to eight hours is ideal. What time you get those hours, however, may depend on your age. The body of a 40-year-old, or an older adult, typically wants sleep earlier in the evening.

"Older adults get sleepy early in the evening, perhaps six, seven, eight o'clock at night. If they went to bed at that hour, they'd still sleep about seven, eight hours. But that means that they're now waking up at three, four, five in the morning. And, of course, the biggest complaint that older adults have is 'I'm waking up in the middle of the night.'
The problem is that although older adults are getting sleepy early in the evening, most of them are not going to sleep. They're still staying up until about 10 or 11, but their body is still going to wake them up at four or five in the morning. Now they're not getting a full night's sleep. So they might be tired during the day. They'll take an afternoon nap. That afternoon nap allows them to stay alert later into the evening, but they're still going to wake up at 5 in the morning because of their biological clock."
—Susan Komen article.

While this might not be true for everyone, the point is that the time your body desires sleep changes with age.
But despite age, most experts agree that eight hours is ideal. Some have started to study what they believe to be the importance of an afternoon nap, or power nap.
This kind of nap is used to supplement a 'sleep deficit.'

Answer 2

However many it takes.

We sleep in cycles of a little over 90 minutes long, give or take a little. If you have your rest out, you'll wake at the end of the 4th cycle without an alarm clock. That's about 6-6 1/2 hours. If you don't have your rest out, you'll continue to sleep past the 5th cycle and get a 6th cycle. That's 9 hours, maybe even 10 hours.

Most people, though, sleep 5 cycles, if they are allowed to, and wake up in 7 1/2 or 8 hours.

Sleep apnea is more common in older adults. After you stop breathing, you will wake up and remember to start sleeping again. That disrupts whatever cycle you're in, and you have to start again from the beginning. One complete cycle is worth more than 20 partial cycles.

Missing those cycles can have severe medical effects. If the body is experiencing too much stress, it produces larger amounts of cortisol, and that leads to obesity, especially in the abdomen. Cortisol is hard on the connective tissue, leading to paper-thin skin, and osteoporosis. It raises your blood pressure, and even causes glaucoma.

I've said for decades that waking a person unnecessarily should be a crime, and the person doing so should be shot - but that's just my opinion. Others think the punishment should be much more severe.

Answer 3

For all adults the ideal number of sleep for most people ranges from about 7 to 9 hours, to fully reset the body.

Answer 4

About 7 hours or less a night.

Answer 5

Believe it or not 9 and a quarter hours!

Answer 6

the quality of sleep is far more important than the quantity.