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Age‐related changes in initiation and maintenance of sleep: A meta‐analysis
Author(s) -
Floyd Judith A.,
Medler S. Marshall,
Ager Joel W.,
Janisse James J.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-240x(200004)23:2<106::aid-nur3>3.0.co;2-a
Subject(s) - sleep (system call) , polysomnography , meta analysis , psychology , life span , clinical psychology , gerontology , audiology , medicine , developmental psychology , psychiatry , electroencephalography , computer science , operating system
The purpose of this meta‐analysis was to determine the magnitude of change over the adult life span in four key sleep characteristics and to explore research design features that may account for variability in reported age‐related sleep change. Forty‐one published studies (combined N = 3293) provided 99 correlational effect sizes. Waking frequency and duration increased with age as previously concluded by narrative reviewers. Although narrative reviewers were less certain whether nighttime sleep amount or the ability to initiate sleep decreased with age, the meta‐analysis suggested that both decreased. When sleep variables were measured by polysomnography rather than self‐report, larger age‐related changes were found. Few researchers who studied normal sleep controlled for important health moderators or studied women. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Res Nurs Health 23:106–117, 2000