WHY DO OLDER PEOPLES SLEEPS LESS? It is a well-known stereotype that older people sleep less than younger folks, often rising at like, 4 AM. But even though it’s a stereotype, there does seem to be some truth to this. Like, surveys have found that many seniors wake multiple times in the wee hours before finally rising at the crack of dawn. This doesn’t happen because their bodies need less shut-eye, though; older adults need just as much sleep as younger ones. And although sleep can be disrupted by many things associated with aging, like pain or medication, that’s not the full story, either. Instead, studies suggest there are some fascinating and sometimes bizarre reasons older adults may wake up with the chickens. Including this stuff called brain sand. Which is even weirder than brain sand sounds. The general explanation here is that something changes with your circadian rhythm as you get older. That’s the roughly 24-hour cycle your body is on, which affects everyth...