Over 60 and having trouble sleeping? You are in good company.

Sleeplessness is one of the most common complaints among seniors.

Researchers have uncovered evidence that may help explain why the zzzz's start to fade as we age.

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Adopt a healthy lifestyle!

Dr. Deborah Rhodes of the Mayo Clinic says "everyday we have to do our best to eat well, exercise, get enough sleep."

But what is enough sleep for seniors may not be as much as we think.

In a carefully controlled study, British and Harvard researchers monitored the sleep of more than 50 healthy people from age 18 to past 70.

Turns out the seniors needed less sleep, about an hour and a half hour less, than the younger study subjects.

The older sleepers averaged seven and a half hours compared to nine hours in the younger set.

Researchers did find that the seniors snoozers took longer to fall asleep which may help explain some sleep complaints.

They stress that illness, medication and even habits like too much caffeine can affect sleep but conclude that age may be getting a bad rap as a sleep robber when, in fact, it may be that seniors simply don't need as much zzzz time.

Certainly something to sleep on.

They say it appears the need for less sleep may begin around age 60, but could start earlier, and think the change is gradual.