Long sleepers sleep more and short sleepers sleep less: a comparison of older adults who sleep well

To determine some of the risks and benefits of being a long or short sleeper, psychological adjustment, lifestyle, and sleep parameters were investigated in 239 older adults. Responses of people who slept well and who were either long or short sleepers were studied on 48 variables investigating sleep parameters and sleep-related affect and beliefs; daytime fatigue and sleepiness; demographic factors, including age, sex, and income satisfaction; sleep lifestyle factors, including naps, bedtimes, arising times, and the regularity of these; general lifestyle factors, including regularity of mealtimes, overall daytime pleasantness, perceived busyness, diversity and valence of daily activities, and potentially stressful major life events. In addition, 14 variables evaluated aspects of psychological adjustment, including cognitive and somatic arousal, nocturnal tension, anxious, negative, unpleasant and worrying self-talk, depression, anxiety, overall psychopathology, neuroticism, and life satisfaction. Overall, the results indicate that short sleepers get up earlier, spend less time in bed, and have lower sleep efficiencies than their long sleeper counterparts. They eat breakfast earlier, and of course, they sleep less. Only one of the 14 psychological adjustment variables was significant. In view of the many differences between short and long sleepers described in prior research, the lack of differences observed between long and short sleepers is noteworthy.