My grandparents often complain about how little sleep they get. Most often their sleeplessness is due to bodily aches and pains . But sometimes they “just couldn’t sleep”. The National Sleep Foundation has a thorough article on Aging and Sleep which helped me learn a lot about changes in sleep patterns as we age. Apparently, older people spend more time in light stages of sleep, rather than in deep sleep; this explains why many report being less satisfied with their sleep and feel more tired throughout the day.
NSF also corrects the misconception that older adults need less sleep. Our need for sleep remains constant through our adulthood. We need the same amount of sleep at 18 as at 80.
I also came across an article on WebMD called Sleep and Aging. Here are the causes of most sleep problems in older people:
- Poor sleep habits: inconsistent bedtime and wake-time confuse the internal clock. Avoid too much daytime napping.
- Medications: some are stimulants.
- Psychological Distress: certain life events can be profoundly upsetting, such as the death of a loved one, moving out of the house you’ve lived in for years, or drastic physical limitations due to an illness. Situations such as these can cause a lot of stress and sleep problems.
- Sleep Disorders: some are connected with aging, such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and periodic limb movement disorder.
- Retirement: too much down time and reduced activity can lead to irregular sleep-wake schedules.
- Medical Conditions: NSF adds a list of specific medical conditions which commonly cause sleep problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), diabetes mellitus, renal failure, asthma, immune disorders, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
I hope this information helps my grandparents. Maybe we can pinpoint the specific causes preventing them from sleeping well and determine effective treatment options/coping strategies. I hope this helps you, too.
By Emily S.
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