Question: My husband is 71 and keeps a very strange sleep schedule. He gets up at 3 a.m. and by the time I get up at 8, he is taking a nap which lasts an hour or so. Then he naps again at noon for a couple hours. He goes to bed at 9 p.m. Is this odd schedule bad for his health?

Dr. Hibberd’s answer:

Your husband has a routine that, though unusual, clearly meets his rest needs. There are no adverse health consequences we can attribute to his schedule. The only question I might have is whether he wakes up out of habit or is he awakening at 3 a.m. because he is awakened. Does he snore? If so, he should be checked for sleep apnea.