Sleep Tips for the Elderly

Aging alone is unlikely to be the cause of your sleep problems. Poor sleep hygiene (your sleep habits and your sleep environment) can be the main cause of low-quality sleep. Fortunately, sleep hygiene is easy to improve.

1.Keep a regular sleep schedule – Go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, even on weekends.

2.Be engaged – Social activities, family, and work can keep your activity level up and prepare your body for a good night’s sleep.

3.Experiment with napping - Although napping too close to bedtime can interfere with nighttime sleeping, short naps early in the day can improve overall restfulness.

4.Expose yourself to sunlight – Bright sunlight increases melatonin, which regulates your sleep-wake cycles. Try to get at least two hours of sunlight a day.

Sleep, Diet and Exercise

For years your doctor, your mom and your friend who goes to the gym multiple times a week have probably been telling you to eat better and exercise more. It’s all you hear on television, in the newspapers and on talk radio. New doctors and dietitians usher in new diets, new fads, and so you’ve made some lifestyle changes – cutting back on your fat and sweets intake, and doing some cardiovascular exercise a few days a week. Despite all this, you still feel burned out, can’t drop those extra pounds, and don’t have the energy to greet each day with enthusiasm. What are you missing?

The third piece of the puzzle: sleep

Though the exact mechanisms of how sleep works, how sleep rejuvenates the body and mind is still mysterious, one thing sleep specialists and scientists do know is that adequate sleep is necessary for healthy functioning. Research shows that all mammals need sleep, and that sleep regulates mood and is related to learning and memory functions. Not only will getting your zzzs help you perform on a test, learn a new skill or help you stay on task, but it may also be a critical factor in your health, weight and energy level.

How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?

 
You hear the advice that people need eight hours of sleep, but does that apply to every person? What about children, teens and older people? Many people seem to get by on less than eight so...


Ellen Caroll has often asked herself this exact question – especially when it comes to helping her family members get the amount of sleep they need. With a son in preschool and a daughter in high school, a husband who works over 50 hours a week and aging parents, one with Parkinson's disease, Ellen's family runs the gamut when it comes to age and sleep needs. Because all of Ellen's family members have busy schedules, they often forget to put their sleep needs ahead of their other priorities. Not only does Ellen need to convince her family that getting the right amount of sleep is important, but she also needs to figure out how much sleep they really need!

Aging and Sleep

Along with the physical changes that occur as we get older, changes to our sleep patterns are a part of the normal aging process. As people age they tend to have a harder time falling asleep and more trouble staying asleep than when they were younger. It is a common misconception that sleep needs decline with age. In fact, research demonstrates that our sleep needs remain constant throughout adulthood.

So, what's keeping seniors awake? Changes in the patterns of our sleep – what specialists call "sleep architecture" – occur as we age and this may contribute to sleep problems. Sleep occurs in multiple stages including dreamless periods of light and deep sleep, and occasional periods of active dreaming (REM sleep). The sleep cycle is repeated several times during the night and although total sleep time tends to remain constant, older people spend more time in the lighter stages of sleep than in deep sleep.