Health Last night I had trouble getting to sleep, had to get up once during the night and awoke at 6.00 a.m. Sound familiar? For many senior adults, poor sleeping habits happen far too often and statistics show that we are not alone. Almost half of adults over the age of 60 suffer from insomnia. In practice, I recall the numerous times seniors would be looking for advice on how to alleviate this problem. I remember as a teenager, I could go to bed on a weekend at 10.00 p.m. and my mother would have to wake me 12 hours later because I was still asleep.Those days are gone. For most young adults, unless there is an obvious cause, sleeping disorders are quite rare but, as we age, insomnia happens more frequently. Although the physiological reasons for this are not well understood, there are factors which are well known andmodifying these may, to some extent, improve the quality of our sleep. Insomnia may be experienced as taking a long time to fall asleep, waking one or more times at night, awakening early, not being able to fall asleep again and suffering fatigue and listlessness during the day because of one or more of these symptoms. by Robert MacMillan MD INSOMNIA Causes and Cures ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS A bright room, background noise, a room that’s too hot or too cold, an uncomfortable bed and a restless or snoring partner are obvious factors in contributing to poor sleep. Sometimes travel, visits with family or hospitalization will lead to insomnia because of one or more differences from home. Remedies: Be sure that your pillow and bed are just right. Sleep in a cool, dark, quiet room, wearing earplugs if necessary. If you or your partner snore or disturb each other’s sleep, try separate rooms. INACTIVITY As we age, most of us become less active ‒ which is probably the most prevalent cause of insomnia. Not only do we not get as much physical activity as we should, we end up with far more time for sedentary activity and napping than when we were young. Furthermore, we get far less outdoor activity than we did in earlier years and this is usually exacerbated in the winter (unless we are able to participate in the snowbird lifestyle and, thereby, keep more active). STRESS-RELATED CAUSES Sometimes, there are mental reasons as to why a good sleep is unobtainable. The recent loss of a loved one, depression, built-up anxiety regarding family problems, finances or other issues may upset one’s sleep. DAYTIME NAPS The urge to “take a wee nap” ‒ especially following meals or after alcohol consumption ‒ is a common habit of many seniors, more commonly men. For someone who suffers from insomnia, this is one of the most obvious contributing factors, especially when the nap is more than “forty winks” and a deep sleep is achieved. The logic used is often, “Well, I didn’t get a good sleep last night, so I need to take a nap.” Thus begins the cycle which, for many, is very hard to break. Remedies: Keep the late evening hours free of stress and excitement. Reading or light TV may be suitable. Try relaxing techniques such as a warm bath or a light snack before sleep. Activity before going to sleep should not involve such things as violent TV programs or strenuous physical work. Remedies: Keep a regular sleep pattern, even on weekends. If you have a problem with sleep, you should try and avoid naps altogether. If you do nap, do it early in the day and not in the evening, limiting your nap to 20 minutes or less. Remedies: Be sure and get regular exercise throughout the year. Evidence shows that outside activity, in particular, promotes better sleep. Whether it’s walking, golfing, pickle ball or dancing, your sleep and general health will probably be better. Physical activity promotes a good day-night pattern and, when your body is tired, you sleep better. 32 | www.snowbirds.org
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx