If you’re retired, you may not have a lot of structure to your day, or you may not follow a set schedule. Following a consistent sleep schedule is one of the most important things you can do to make sure you get the sleep you need each night. Poor sleep habits will almost guarantee lackluster sleep, while good sleep habits will lead to better sleep. Create and Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule Check out my 7 tips to help you get better rest as you age- you can even try some of these before you go to bed tonight! 1. Getting better sleep as an older adult doesn’t have to be an ordeal. Unfortunately, seniors are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders too- so what can be done to help you get the restful sleep you need? Sleep Tips for Seniors Insufficient sleep in older adults can increase the risk of falls, accidents, and injury. Getting proper sleep at night helps keep you healthy and alert. When combined with poor sleep quality, long sleep duration can contribute to signs of cognitive decline. In turn, these conditions impacted their sleep quality, prompting them to sleep longer to “catch up” from their poor sleep. Long sleepers showed signs of possible underlying conditions, such as heart disease, affecting their rest that were not present in the short-sleeping group. That being said, sleeping too much can be a sign of other issues. While the cognitive impact on short sleepers was consistent with signs of Alzheimer’s, long sleepers did not show the same levels of cognitive decline. When this occurs, your cognitive function suffers and you begin to experience the memory loss and mental difficulties associated with diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Amyloid beta is a protein that can potentially build up in your brain and disrupt brain cell activity. Short sleep duration is linked with a greater amount of amyloid beta in your brain. New research finds that both short and long sleep duration in older adults are associated with cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, and even Alzheimer’s Disease. Getting too little sleep isn’t the only concern that you need to keep in mind as you get older- getting too much sleep can be a problem too. Of course, it’s just as important to get a good night’s sleep as a senior as it was earlier in life. Even as you’re getting older, you still have largely the same sleep needs that you’ve had throughout adulthood.Īccording to the National Institute on Aging, seniors still need 7-9 hours of sleep per night like most adults do, but the biological changes their bodies go through can make getting adequate sleep difficult. So with all that in mind, let’s finally answer the question I presented earlier in the article. Reduced physical activity or a more sedentary lifestyle.Certain medications you may be taking- more on this later.Conditions like restless legs syndrome (RLS), periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), or REM sleep behavior disorder.Sleep disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea.Nighttime disturbances such as pain, or getting up to use the bathroom.An aging Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)- the part of the brain that regulates your circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle- can disrupt your sleep cycle and affect your ability to get the healthy sleep you need as you get older.īesides an aging brain, there are other health factors that can make it harder for you to sleep at night. However, your brain’s natural aging can end up hurting your sleep quality also. These changes occur naturally as you age. Sleep pattern changes, like those listed above.Disturbed sleep during the night, or increased nocturnal awakeningsĪccording to a study published by the Sleep Medicine Clinics, healthy older adults are actually less likely to report sleep problems, but the causes of their sleep problems are created by multiple factors, like:.More daytime naps, and less nighttime sleep.Shorter sleep duration, or excessive sleep.As a kid, you needed 9-12 hours each night, as a teenager you needed 8-10, and then as an adult, you needed 7-9 hours.Ī few sleep changes you may experience as you continue to age include: Your sleep patterns can change pretty significantly as you age- this has always been the case. Why Do Older Adults Have Trouble Sleeping?Īs an older adult, you may have unique sleep problems that you didn’t have in your younger years. Thankfully there are ways to help you get a better night’s rest as you get older, but is there any truth to this myth?īefore I answer that question though, let’s take a look at why older adults may have trouble sleeping in the first place. One thing’s for sure though- it’s much harder to enjoy your golden years if you’re exhausted and sleep-deprived all the time. This is a really interesting question I’ve seen floating around lately.
Here’s an interesting myth for you: do older people need less sleep?
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