Roll on retirement for sleep you have always dreamed of
SLEEP quality improves significantly when people retire, a study says.
The length of time asleep increases and the difficulties in dozing off decrease after stopping work.
Researchers found that when people retire they sleep longer each day than when they worked.
The quality of sleep also improves, as retired people experience fewer early morning awakenings or less intermittent sleep, than they did in their last working years.
Researchers in London and Finland said sleep levels went on improving for the years ahead after retirement.
The length of time asleep increased especially for people who had previously had difficulties dropping off or were heavy drinkers before retirement.
Those who did not get enough sleep when they were working slept up to 45 minutes more in retirement, they found.
Experts say the right amount of sleep is vital for health and wellbeing. Individuals have different needs but it is recommended that those over 65 sleep for about seven to eight hours a night. Retiring means work schedules no longer determine the times for sleeping and waking up, said study co-author Saana Myllyntausta, from the University of Turku in Finland.
The study, in the journal Sleep, found that nearly one in three people experienced sleep difficulties during their last years at work.
After retirement the figure dropped to one in four.
The researchers said better sleep in retirement could be due to the removal of work-related stress.
They questioned 5,800 people who retired between 2000 and 2011 about their rest patterns.