Hormonal
The decline in REM sleep associated with aging is primarily driven by elevated cortisol levels, whereas IL-6 levels do not significantly affect REM sleep in older adults.
For older adults, losing REM sleep is likely linked to higher cortisol levels, not necessarily inflammation (IL-6). This suggests that stress management techniques that lower cortisol might be more effective for preserving REM sleep than anti-inflammatory interventions alone.
In the old group, a change of IL-6 levels did not have an effect on REM sleep, whereas an increase of cortisol plasma levels by 1 µg/dl was associated with a 13-min decrease of REM sleep.
Why this rating
Controlled laboratory study with objective polysomnography and serial blood sampling.
Source
Impaired Nighttime Sleep in Healthy Old<i>Versus</i>Young Adults Is Associated with Elevated Plasma Interleukin-6 and Cortisol Levels: Physiologic and Therapeutic Implications
Alexandros N. Vgontzas et al. · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism · 2003
DOI 10.1210/jc.2002-021176
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