{"id":5760,"date":"2019-10-08T07:48:12","date_gmt":"2019-10-08T11:48:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.silvercentury.org\/?p=5760"},"modified":"2019-10-08T07:48:12","modified_gmt":"2019-10-08T11:48:12","slug":"getting-older-sleeping-less","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/78.142.243.82\/~silvercentury\/2019\/10\/getting-older-sleeping-less\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Older, Sleeping Less?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Until age 45, Mary Jo Anderson says, she was a \u201cchampion sleeper.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like someone flipped a light switch,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen I entered menopause, I suddenly couldn\u2019t fall asleep.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

At age 64, she had less trouble falling asleep but couldn\u2019t stay asleep. She woke up almost every hour of the night and felt tired much of the time during the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anderson was not alone. More than half of all Americans over 65 report they have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, according to the National Institute on Aging.  <\/span><\/p>\n

I<\/span>t\u2019s a miserable feeling. While everyone else sleeps comfortably, you\u2019re awake. Anxious or distressing thoughts occupy your mind. The longer you stay awake, the more you worry about not getting enough sleep. You fear you won\u2019t be able to function the next day; you fret over how the lack of sleep may affect your health. A vicious cycle ensues: the more you can\u2019t sleep, the more you worry about not sleeping, which keeps you awake. You start to dread bedtime and another night of trying desperately to sleep\u2014and failing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a cruel joke that life plays on us,\u201d said W. Christopher Winter, MD, founder of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Center and author of <\/span>The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It<\/span><\/i> (2018). \u201cWhen we’re young<\/span>\u2014<\/span>working nonstop, with kids running around the house<\/span>\u2014<\/span>we wish we just had more time to sleep. Then we get older and have more time, and your brain’s saying, \u2018I don’t really want it anymore.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, the media are full of alarming reports that connect sleeplessness with health problems. Chronic insomnia is linked to increased risk of developing obesity, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart attack, depression or anxiety. Research also links insomnia to Alzheimer\u2019s and other forms of dementia (although it\u2019s not clear whether the insomnia is a cause or an early symptom). Sleep-deprived people are more prone to falls or car accidents as well as forgetfulness. And, according to the National Sleep Foundation, a lack of sleep is linked to overeating\u2014especially the overconsumption of junk food\u2014which can lead to weight gain. <\/span><\/p>\n

On the flip side, people who do sleep well are more likely to be alert, function better mentally and are even more likely to maintain a healthy weight. <\/span><\/p>\n

But there is hope for those of us who call ourselves poor sleepers. With a \u201csleep makeover\u201d<\/span>\u2014<\/span>changing habits that disrupt sleep, developing routines that promote sleepiness at bedtime<\/span>\u2014<\/span>many older adults can get the sleep they need. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Roots of Sleeplessness<\/b><\/p>\n

Researchers divide sleep disorders into two general categories: dyssomnias and parasomnias. Any sleep disorder that causes daytime drowsiness is a dyssomnia. That includes insomnia as well as other conditions, such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. Parasomnias are sleep disorders with odd or irregular behaviors that occur during sleep, such as sleepwalking or night terrors.<\/span><\/p>\n

People with insomnia<\/span>\u2014<\/span>difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep<\/span>\u2014<\/span>may experience fatigue, low energy, difficulty concentrating, mood disturbances and decreased performance at work. Chronic insomnia isn\u2019t an unavoidable aspect of normal aging, but sleep patterns do change as we age. It\u2019s possible to understand these changes and not let them cause unnecessary distress that keeps you up nights. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmong healthy older adults, the brain circuit that controls sleep just isn\u2019t as robust compared to that of their younger selves,\u201d said Steven Lin, MD, neurologist with Healthcare Associates in Medicine, PC, in Staten Island, NY. \u201cPlus, older people tend to have medical or other issues that may interfere with normal sleep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

People over 65 are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions, such as arthritis, which can cause pain that can awaken them at night. They may be more prone to bladder issues that necessitate repeated nighttime trips to the bathroom. For elders caring for a spouse or a loved one, sleep may be disrupted when they get up at night to tend to the person. Older adults are also more likely to take medications that affect sleep or cause daytime sleepiness even after a good night\u2019s sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Experts say it\u2019s normal for older people to take longer to doze off at night, to sleep more lightly and to wake several times during the night.<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The timing of sleep may change too. Older adults tend to become sleepy earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning. One National Sleep Foundation poll found that about two-thirds of adults over 65 consider themselves a \u201cmorning person,\u201d considerably more than in the general population.<\/span><\/p>\n

Experts also say it\u2019s normal for people to sleep more lightly as they get older. Sleep occurs in cycles that are repeated several times during the night, including dreamless periods of light and deep sleep and periods of active dreaming (REM sleep). Beginning in middle age, people naturally spend less time in deep and REM sleep. They tend to wake up more often, an average of three to four times a night. Older people also are likely to take more time to fall asleep and have more difficulty staying asleep. <\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, an older person who\u2019s sedentary\u2014due to mobility issues, for example\u2014may simply need less sleep. Ditto for someone who is retired, who need not arise at 6 a.m. every day or face the daily stresses of a job.<\/span><\/p>\n

For older adults, a sleep makeover can start with simply recognizing these changes that come with age\u2014and not getting too distressed about them. Try to minimize anxiety that might trigger more sleeplessness, Winter said<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur sleep patterns change throughout life,\u201d he said. \u201cI’m 47. My sleep is not the same as it was when I was seven or 17. I have occasional nights where I\u2019m lying in bed awake up until 4 a.m. I try to enjoy the quiet time, rather than getting stressed about it.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Resetting Sleep Rhythms<\/b><\/p>\n

One important step in a sleep makeover is to work with your body\u2019s circadian clock\u2014the natural rhythms that make us alert during the day and sleepy at night, \u200band that include the waxing and waning of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. With<\/span> exposure to sunlight during the day, the body\u2019s secretion of melatonin tends to drop off. As it gets darker at night, melatonin secretion increases.  <\/span><\/p>\n

To reset your sleep rhythms, you should adopt a consistent sleep schedule with an emphasis on arising at the same time each day.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, these steps may help:<\/span><\/p>\n