Jack Vettriano The Temptress

As people get older, hormonal and brain changes cause a shift in the body's internal clock, so they might find themselves sleepy very early in the evening. "This starts a vicious cycle," says Zafarlotfi. "If your parents go to bed at 8, they may rise at 3 get all 8 hours of sleep at one time — or, if they must take a nap, have them set an alarm so they sleep no more than 20 to 30 minutes. * Stick to light fare. Recent animal studies suggest that a high-fat diet can disrupt circadian rhythms. Though further research is needed, "greasy, heavy dinners and desserts may disrupt digestion, so you toss and turn," says Bae. * Turn up the light. Unlike teens, seniors may benefit from bright light exposure or 4 in the morning. Then they take long naps. So when bedtime rolls around, they're not tired enough to doze off, which deprives them of deep sleep."To help your parents snooze on schedule, suggest that they:* Skip catnaps. Your parents should try to