• Online Scheduling | Careers

Merit Health Wesley
  • Quick Links
    • Find a Doctor
    • Services
      • Services

        • View All Services
        • Bariatric Weight Loss Services
        • Behavioral Health
        • Diabetes Care
        • Diagnostic Imaging
        • Digestive Health
        • Ear, Nose & Throat Care
        • Emergency Services
        • Heart Care
        • Laboratory Services
        • Maternity Care
        • Neurology
        • Occupational Health Services
        • Orthopedic Services
        • Pediatric Care
        • Primary Care
        • Rehabilitation Services
        • Respiratory Care
        • Sepsis Care
        • Sleep Medicine
        • Stroke Care
        • Surgical Services
        • Transitional Care
        • Wellness Center
        • Women's Health
        • Wound Care
          • Patients & Visitors
            • For Patients

              • Patients & Visitors
              • Admissions
              • Cafeteria Information
              • Care Partners
              • Complementary Patient Therapies
              • Educational Resources
              • Events
              • Financial Information
              • Gift Shop
              • Health Library
              • Online Scheduling
              • Patient Portal
              • Request Medical Records
              • Spiritual Care
                • Careers
                • Locations
                  • Hospitals
                  • Merit Health Medical Group
                  • Merit Health Network
                • About
                  • About

                    • About Us
                    • Awards & Accreditations
                    • Careers
                    • Community Benefits
                    • Contact Us
                    • History
                    • Leadership
                    • Newsroom
                    • Phone Directory
                    • Quality & Safety
                    • Volunteer Opportunities
                      • mymerithealth.com
                      • Merit Health Network
                        • Merit Health Central
                        • Merit Health Natchez
                        • Merit Health Rankin
                        • Merit Health River Oaks
                        • Merit Health River Region
                        • Merit Health Wesley
                        • Merit Health Woman's Hospital
                        • Merit Health Medical Group
                      • (601) 268-8000
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Bill Pay
                      • Events
                      • Contact
                      • analog clock icon
                      • Avg ER Wait:
                        12 Min

                        About ER Wait Times
                      Home/Patients & Visitors/Health Library/Keeping Sleep Quality As You Age

                      Refine Results

                      About Us
                      eNewsletter Redirect
                      Events
                      Events
                      Find a Doctor
                      Locations
                      Notice of Non-Discrimination
                      Patients & Visitors
                      Admissions
                      Cafeteria Information
                      Care Partners
                      Complementary Patient Therapies
                      Educational Resources
                      Events
                      Financial Information
                      Billing & Insurance
                      Billing & Registration FAQ
                      Eligibility Services
                      Financial Assistance Program
                      Medicare
                      Online Bill Pay
                      Patient Protections Against Surprise Billing
                      Price Information
                      Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate
                      Gift Shop
                      Health Library
                      Online Scheduling
                      Online Check-In FAQ
                      Patient Portal
                      Patient Portal FAQ
                      Request Medical Records
                      Spiritual Care
                      Services
                      • information
                      • news
                      • Avg ER Wait:
                        12 Min

                        About ER Wait Times
                      • Directions

                        Find Our Location
                      • Merit Health Wesley Fights Hunger with Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive

                        05.08.2025

                      • Serving Patients, Supporting Our Community at Merit Health Wesley

                        04.07.2025

                      • See All News & Press Releases
                      • Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Sign Up For Our E-Newsletter

                        Featuring a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                        Learn More
                      • Mobile Device

                        Online Scheduling

                        Free, convenient online check-in services.

                        Learn More
                      • Nurse and Patient

                        Patient Portal

                        Access your medical information
                        on demand.

                        Learn More

                      Keeping Sleep Quality As You Age

                      Every year, millions of older adults ask themselves the same question: "What happened to my sleep?" We all know what it means to "sleep like a baby," but many adults toss and turn all night and wake up in the morning feeling exhausted.

                      That's because sleep architecture can change as we age. Sleep architecture is how the brain's sleep cycle is structured, and it includes both rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. The deepest levels or "stages" of NREM sleep are considered the most restful and restorative type of sleep. The more time your brain spends in these deep stages, the more refreshed and alert you tend to feel throughout the day.

                      The adult brain spends less time in deep-stage NREM sleep as it ages. At the same time, aging makes it more challenging to stay in REM sleep. We might even fight brief periods of wakefulness in the middle of the night. The good news is restorative sleep isn't lost to youth. Optimize your sleep with the following sleep tips:

                      • Avoid caffeine after lunch and alcohol after dinner.
                      • Exercise at least 30 minutes every morning or early afternoon.
                      • Keep your bedroom cool, dark and quiet.
                      • Avoid electronics with a screen for an hour before bedtime.
                      • Consider adjusting your sleep schedule. Your body's circadian rhythm can also change with age, making you feel sleepy earlier or later than it used to.

                      Some sleep changes come with age, but others may signal an underlying disorder. For example:

                      • If you snore and don't notice any sleep disturbances but still feel sleepy during the day, you may have obstructive sleep apnea.
                      • If you keep your partner awake with jerking movements in your legs, then you may have restless legs syndrome.
                      • If you sleepwalk, you may have REM behavior disorder.

                      Sleep disorders can increase your risk of more severe conditions, including heart disease and stroke. If your doctor suspects you have a sleep disorder, they will likely recommend you undergo a sleep study to determine how your body functions as you sleep.

                      Want More Health Tips?

                      Sign up for our e-newsletter, Live Healthy, to receive a monthly dose of information and inspiration for living well.

                      Back

                      Merit Health Wesley

                      • 5001 Hardy St
                      • Hattiesburg, MS 39402
                      • P: (601) 268-8000
                      • F: (601) 268-5008

                      • ADA Accessibility Policy
                      • Terms & Conditions
                      • Privacy Policy
                      • Change Your Privacy Choices
                      • Notice of Privacy Practices
                      • Patient Rights & Responsibilities
                      • Price Transparency

                      Copyright ©2025. All rights reserved.

                      An AllianceHealth Oklahoma® hospital

                      Services

                      • Bariatric Weight Loss Services
                      • Behavioral Health
                      • Diabetes Care
                      • Diagnostic Imaging
                      • Digestive Health
                      • Ear, Nose & Throat Care
                      • Emergency Services
                      • Heart Care
                      • Laboratory Services
                      • Maternity Care
                      • Neurology
                      • Occupational Health Services
                      • Orthopedic Services
                      • Pediatric Care
                      • Primary Care
                      • Rehabilitation Services
                      • Respiratory Care
                      • Sepsis Care
                      • Sleep Medicine
                      • Stroke Care
                      • Surgical Services
                      • Transitional Care
                      • Wellness Center
                      • Women's Health
                      • Wound Care

                      Patients & Visitors

                      • Admissions
                      • Cafeteria Information
                      • Care Partners
                      • Complementary Patient Therapies
                      • Educational Resources
                      • Events
                      • Financial Information
                      • Gift Shop
                      • Health Library
                      • Online Scheduling
                      • Patient Portal
                      • Request Medical Records
                      • Spiritual Care

                      About Us

                      • Awards & Accreditations
                      • Careers
                      • Community Benefits
                      • Contact Us
                      • History
                      • Leadership
                      • Newsroom
                      • Phone Directory
                      • Quality & Safety
                      • Volunteer Opportunities

                      Notice of Nondiscrimination
                      • English,
                      • አማርኛ,
                      • العربية,
                      • বাংলা,
                      • ျမန္မာဘာသာ,
                      • tsalagi gawonihisdi,
                      • 繁體中文,
                      • Chahta,
                      • Oroomiffa,
                      • Nederlands,
                      • Français,
                      • Kreyòl Ayisyen,
                      • Deutsch,
                      • ગુજરાતી,
                      • हिंदी,
                      • Hmoob,
                      • Igbo asusu,
                      • Ilokano,
                      • Italiano,
                      • 日本語,
                      • 한국어,
                      • Ɓàsɔ́ɔ̀‑wùɖù‑po‑nyɔ̀,
                      • ພາສາລາວ,
                      • Kajin Ṃajōḷ,
                      • ខ្មែរ,
                      • Diné Bizaad,
                      • नेपाली,
                      • Deitsch,
                      • فارسی,
                      • Polski,
                      • Português,
                      • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
                      • Română,
                      • Русский,
                      • Gagana fa'a Sāmoa,
                      • Srpsko‑hrvatski,
                      • Español,
                      • ܣܘܼܪܸܬ݂,
                      • Tagalog,
                      • ภาษาไทย,
                      • Türkçe,
                      • Українська,
                      • اُردُو,
                      • Tiếng Việt,
                      • èdè Yorùbá,
                      • עִברִית
                      Loading... Loading...