If you sleep more lightly than you did twenty years ago, you're not imagining it. From midlife onward, the proportion of deep slow-wave sleep declines, and it becomes easier for noise, temperature, and discomfort to wake you.
Researchers consistently find three shifts with age: sleep becomes more fragmented, the body's internal clock drifts earlier, and the pressure to sleep builds more slowly across the day.
Morning light. Twenty minutes of bright outdoor light shortly after waking anchors your body clock and makes an earlier bedtime feel natural instead of forced.
Consistent wake time. A fixed wake-up, even on weekends, does more for sleep quality than a fixed bedtime.
Cooler nights. The body needs to drop its core temperature to enter deep sleep. A cooler room and breathable bedding make that easier.
Comfort that supports your body. Aches that were easy to ignore at 30 become wake-ups at 60. Supportive pillows and a mattress that suits your sleep position reduce the number of times you stir at night.
Caffeine curfew. Caffeine has a half-life of five to six hours. A 3pm coffee is still working on your brain at 9pm.
Persistent insomnia, loud snoring, or gasping at night are worth discussing with a doctor, as they can point to treatable conditions.