Good Sleep Gets Tougher With Age

Most people see their sleep habits shift as they age, but a new review suggests that some seniors lose the ability to get deep, restorative rest.

And that can come with health consequences, said review author Bryce Mander, a sleep researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.

Sleep "fragmentation" has been linked to a number of medical conditions, including depression and dementia, Mander said. People with fragmented sleep wake up multiple times during the night, and miss out on the deep stages of sleep.

It is true that medical conditions, or the treatments for them, can cause sleep problems, according to Mander.

But poor sleep can also contribute to disease, he added.

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