Why Older Adults Struggle with Sleep and How to Improve It

We tend to stick pictures of elderly people in our homes or around us, often waking up early in the morning, sometimes waking up early, causing many people to think that older people may want to sleep less. That’s not true. All adults, regardless of age, need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

Researchers often find Older people have less deep sleep. waking up 3-4 times a night, going to the bathroom frequently at night or insomnia need to take a nap during the day Go to bed early and wake up early. These things interfere with quality sleep. This makes getting a good night’s sleep much harder than young people. And that was for a number of reasons.

Three big factors that change as your body ages can affect the duration and quality of sleep: hormones, health conditions, and lifestyle changes. Elderly people often have one of these factors.

– Hormones such as melatonin (Melatonin) and Growth Hormone, which are important hormones that help with sleep. when we get older The body will secrete less of these two types. causing more sleep problems Including menopause, which causes various hormonal changes, which also disrupt sleep.

– health status at an older age Humans are more prone to chronic diseases. Illness causes changes in our bodies. Whether it is arthritis that causes pain many times at night Diabetes that requires frequent toilet visits Heart disease and high blood pressure can cause you to startle from difficulty breathing. or mental illness that causes anxiety All interfere with quality sleep.

– lifestyle changes The daily routine of the elderly has always changed from that of the young. Older people exercise or move less, which affects rest. As you get older, you spend more time at home. causing the body to receive less sunlight and affect hormones in the body Including the use of medications, too, can interfere with sleep.

So can seniors improve their sleep? The answer is yes. Experts have suggested several preliminary methods. But if there are still sleep problems and need to be seriously solved We recommend talking directly with a medical professional. to identify the cause at the point according to the differences of each patient

– Always get up and go to bed at the same time. Not just the elderly But people of all genders and ages can benefit from this method as well.

Limit the amount of time you use your cell phone, tablet or other electronic device before bed, as the blue light emitted by screens can disrupt sleep.

– Reduce or avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine before bedtime. to reduce the factors that cause insomnia as much as possible including alcohol as well Because even though it makes you sleepy, it makes you unable to sleep well at night.

– Increase shifting Gentle exercise as you age can help your body fall asleep more easily and can also have a better effect on your overall health. However, a specialist should be consulted regarding the underlying disease. This is because some exercises can make symptoms worse.

– Get enough natural light Sunlight helps the body produce melatonin. Try to get at least 2 hours of sunlight each day. Getting outdoors sometimes helps a lot.

Finally, if the sleep is still not better. This indicates that there may be abnormalities such as health conditions that cause insomnia or sleep disturbances, such as sleep apnea and insomnia. should seek advice from a specialist Talking to a doctor can help seniors have better sleep quality.

Searched and edited by Vitit Borompichaichatkul

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