AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The older you get, the fewer hours of sleep you need. False. Sleep need remains unchanged throughout adulthood. Older people may wake more frequently through the night and may sleep less, but their sleep need is no less than during young adulthood.

Detailed explanation-2: -Contrary to popular opinion, older people don’t need less sleep than the average person. In fact, adults require about the same amount of sleep from their 20s into old age, although the number of hours per night varies from person to person.

Detailed explanation-3: -Sleep needs change over a person’s lifetime. Children and adolescents need more sleep than adults. Interestingly, older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults-seven or more hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they need.

Detailed explanation-4: -As you age your body produces lower levels of growth hormone, so you’ll likely experience a decrease in slow wave or deep sleep (an especially refreshing part of the sleep cycle). When this happens you produce less melatonin, meaning you’ll often experience more fragmented sleep and wake up more often during the night.

Detailed explanation-5: -“Teenagers are going through a second developmental stage of cognitive maturation, ” explains Crocetti. Additional sleep supports their developing brain, as well as physical growth spurts.