Hypothalamic control of sleep in aging.

The timing of sleep and its duration are affected by circadian and homeostatic factors. Physiological and behavioral attributes such as the duration of previous wake period, food availability, temperature, and stress all affect sleep and its quality. As many of these physiological inputs are integrated in the hypothalamus, it is not surprising that this brain structure plays a crucial role in the regulation of sleep. I will discuss this role also in the context of aging, which is associated with changes in both hypothalamic function and the composition of sleep.