Mature Adults Need 6-8 Hours of Sleep For Optimal Cognitive Performance

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults 65 and older get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. A new study has found that mature adults who get mature adults who sleep 6 to 8 hours per night may be able to maintain optimal cognitive functioning.

One hundred adults over the age of 65 participated in the study. The researchers monitored sleep activity for 6 nights. Cognitive functioning was assessed using 4 neuropsychological tests.

Participants who slept 6 to 8 hours per night had the highest levels of cognitive functioning. Those who slept less than 5.5 hours or more than 8 hours per night had lower levels of cognitive functioning.

The study was conducted by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine. It was published online ahead of print on October 20, 2021, in the journal Brain.