Münch M, Cajochen C, Wirz-Justice A
Zentrum der Chronobiologie, Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken, Wilhelm-Klein-Strasse 27, 4025, Basel, Schweiz.
Z Gerontol Geriatr. 2005 Sep;38 Suppl 1:I21-3. doi: 10.1007/s00391-005-1106-z.
With age, the consolidation of nocturnal sleep decreases, daytime napping increases, and sleep occurs earlier. Sleep regulation is dependent on the interaction between a circadian pacemaker (biological clock) and the sleep homeostat (sleep pressure increasing with duration of time awake). We have shown that in the healthy elderly, the amplitude of circadian rhythms (e. g. melatonin secretion) declines, as does slow wave sleep, parallel with an increase in afternoon sleepiness and a tendency to fall asleep in the early evening when younger subjects do not. Light is the major zeitgeber to stabilise the biological clock: older subjects require sufficient light exposure during daytime and in the evening, and should take no or only brief naps during the day to improve sleep.
随着年龄增长，夜间睡眠的巩固程度降低，白天小睡增多，且入睡时间提前。睡眠调节依赖于昼夜节律起搏器（生物钟）与睡眠稳态调节器（睡眠压力随清醒时长增加）之间的相互作用。我们已经表明，在健康老年人中，昼夜节律的振幅（例如褪黑素分泌）下降，慢波睡眠也减少，同时下午困倦感增加，且在傍晚较早时候就有入睡倾向，而较年轻的受试者则不会这样。光线是稳定生物钟的主要时间geber：老年受试者白天和晚上都需要充足的光照，并且白天不应小睡或仅进行短暂小睡以改善睡眠。
