Is your sleep actually OK?

Most adults need 7 to 9 hours a night, and adults over 65 need about 7 to 8. Needing less sleep is not a normal part of aging; older adults often just have more trouble staying asleep. If you regularly sleep under 6 hours or feel tired most days, it is worth mentioning to your doctor.

Sleep apnea is a condition where your breathing stops and starts many times during sleep, often with loud snoring, gasping, or choking sounds. Each pause briefly wakes the brain, so you can spend eight hours in bed and still feel exhausted. Untreated, it raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart problems, and daytime accidents, so ask your own doctor about testing if it sounds familiar.

No. Many people snore without having sleep apnea, especially after alcohol or when sleeping on their back. The warning signs that point beyond simple snoring are pauses in breathing that someone else notices, gasping awake, morning headaches, and heavy daytime sleepiness. If any of those apply, bring it up with your doctor.

Many sleep studies are now done at home with a small device you wear for one night that tracks your breathing, oxygen level, and heart rate. Some people are sent to a sleep lab instead, where sensors record brain waves and movement overnight while you sleep in a private room. Neither type is painful, and your doctor uses the results to decide if treatment such as CPAP would help.