Starting in middle age, it becomes more difficult to sleep well at night, as well as waking up very early, but this does not mean that there are no solutions, according to a newspaper report. Wall Street Journal.
About 55 percent of Americans ages 40 to 49, and about 58 percent of those ages 50 to 64, experience “poor overall sleep health,” which includes missing the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep. At night, according to a 2023 poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in the United States.
Experts point out that there are many reasons that lead to sleep problems in middle age, such as feeling stressed, medical conditions, and natural biological changes, according to the newspaper.
Starting in our 20s, the amount of deep sleep we get during the night begins to decrease, according to Philip German, a professor of psychology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. By our 40s and 50s, we can actually start to notice this, he says.
Joanna Fong-Isaryawongs, an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, attributes the decline in deep sleep in part to the fact that the number of neurons in the brain that promote sleep and wakefulness decreases as we age.
However, Vong-Isaryawongs points out the importance of deep sleep in order to repair muscles and bones and strengthen the immune system.
How do we solve the problem?
Although we cannot reverse normal age-related changes, we can increase good sleep practices, such as maintaining a regular sleep-wake schedule, engaging in physical activity during the day, avoiding caffeine at least eight hours before bedtime, and keeping the bedroom cool and dark. And quiet.
Fong-Isaryawongs also advises avoiding screens before bed, and not looking at phones and smart watches, when waking up during the night.
If you are having difficulty returning to sleep, it is recommended to get out of bed and do a relaxing activity, such as listening to music or reading, until the person feels sleepy again.
For insomnia, exercise can help relieve stress, according to sleep medicine specialist Atrium Health, North Carolina.
Florida sleep medicine specialist Fariha Abbasi-Feinberg suggests expressing concerns by writing in a journal, praying, or talking to a friend.
The period before menopause in women is accompanied by hormonal fluctuations that also cause a lack of good sleep at night.
As men reach their 40s and 50s, their prostates tend to enlarge, which may cause more trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Doctors advise treating underlying health conditions and treating pain with methods such as massage and physical therapy, trying to get fluids at least two hours before bedtime and avoiding alcohol.
2023-10-01 19:54:55
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