Napping

Older people tend to nap more than younger people do because they are less physically active and less stimulated. Napping may also help older people compensate for the changes in sleep that comes with aging and for interruptions in nighttime sleep caused by sleep disorders.

An additional reason older people nap relates to changes in blood supply to the brain. In younger people, blood vessels widen and narrow, keeping blood pressure in the brain constant even when blood pressure in the rest of the body is changing. In older people, blood vessels are less able to compensate for changes in blood pressure in the body. When blood pressure in the body decreases, as occurs after eating, blood pressure in the brain is more likely to decrease as well, possibly leading to sleepiness. The decrease in blood pressure in the brain is one reason older people may fall asleep after eating a big meal, even in a room filled with noise and commotion.

Napping is generally healthy if it provides needed rest, is kept short, and does not interfere with nighttime sleeping. However, napping should be avoided if it makes a person less able to fall asleep at night.