Sleep Problems in Elderly

As you grow older, you face many health problems including sleep problems.

Older people often face difficulty to sleep and they think that it is the common problem and everyone faces sleep problems as they grow older.

But it is not true that as you grow older, you should face sleep problems. Symptoms of sleep problems in elderly are difficulty in getting sleep, early morning awakening, maintaining sleep, taking more daytime naps and excessive daytime sleepiness.

It is common that as a person ages, many changes takes place. The change is in the quality of sleep not in the quantity of sleep. Older people cannot get into the stage four sleep, which is a deep sleep. Not all people suffer with lack of deep sleep but maximum elders don’t get into deep sleep.

Factors which interfere with your sleep are psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders, medical illnesses, medications, and poor sleep habits.

Psychiatric disorders: Psychiatric disorders such as depression, stress and anxiety cause sleep problems in the elderly. Depression can occur if you lose your loved one or if you are facing any family problems.

Stress can occur, if you are working in the old age and cannot meet the work requirements quickly.

Anxiety can occur if you thinking about the problems continuously and how to solve the problems. These psychiatric problems contribute to sleep problems.

Sleep disorders: You may be suffering with sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and periodic limb movement disorder. Sleep apnea disturbs your sleep with frequent awakenings to gasp breathe hundreds of times per night.

Restless legs syndrome is a disorder characterized by discomfort in legs during rest or during sleep. Periodic limb movement disorder is characterized by the discomfort in both arms and legs.

Medical illnesses: Certain medical illnesses can affect you sleep such as osteoporosis, heartburn, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and menopause. Some of these medical illnesses can cause pain and discomfort and delay or disturb your sleep.

Medications: many medications have stimulating effects and thus disturbing your sleep. Some of the medications are antidepressants, corticosteroids and decongestants. These medications may have sedating effects which leads to excessive daytime sleepiness.

Poor sleep habits: Poor sleep habits can cause sleep problems in elderly. Many people do not maintain a regular time schedule to go to sleep and getting up in the morning.

Consuming alcohol at night time can disturb your sleep as it is a stimulant. Exercising before bedtime stimulates your muscles and disturbs your sleep. Watching television at bedtime keeps you awake and disturbs your sleep.

Solutions for sleep problems in elderly:

• Maintain a regular sleep schedule. You have to go to bed at the same time in the night and get up in the early morning at the same time.
• You should not consume alcohol, do not exercise and do not watch television before bedtime.
• Make you sleep environment comfortable. There should be no disturbance in the surroundings, bed light should be very dim and temperature of the room should be normal.
• You can relax before going to bed by performing meditation or yoga or some relaxation exercises but don’t do exercises which are stimulant. You can relax by taking a bath with warm water.
• You should not take heavy meals before going to bed. Take only light snacks before bed time and you can have a cup of warm milk.
• If you don’t get sleep, listen to soft music or read some book for sometime.