Sleep
- Donna Schwarz-Nielsen
- Oct 31, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 6, 2023
Some people believe as we get older we require less sleep. Not so!
Older people still need 7 - 9 hours sleep per night.
Recent studies have found that a lack of sleep increases our chances of dementia.
However, due to a myriad of factors such as medications, stress, depression, poor health, a lack of iron (shown to cause restless legs), or less melatonin (the hormone that promotes sleep), older adults often take longer to get to sleep and wake up more frequently during the night.
A lack of sleep can lead to falls, brain fog, forgetfulness, depressed mood, and an overall reduction in both psychical and mental health.
What are some of the things that you can do is to improve your sleep hygiene?
Keep active during the day.
Thirty mins of exercise per day is the minimal amount one should be getting for good health and counts towards making you tired.
Keep regular bedtime hours so that your body becomes attuned as to when it is time to sleep.
Switch off (or at least turn town the light) mobile devices so that your brain doesn't think it is still daytime.
Limit coffee or drink decaffeinated.
Do something relaxing before bed such as have a warm bath or read a book.
Eat sleep promoting foods such as oatmeal, bananas, or milk before bed.
Keep your bedroom dark and quiet and clutter free to evoke a nice peaceful and relaxing (sleeping) space.
Another good idea is to keep a diary so that you can track the days when sleep was easier - what happened that day, what did you do differently?
Failing all of this, a trip to the doctor might be a good idea so he/she can review any medications, or make sure you don't have any sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or circadian rhythm problems.
Sleep for most people is a wonderful thing for recharging the batteries and enabling us to start the new day afresh. If you're not getting enough sleep try the tips above or if you think anxiety or stress are contributing to lack of sleep, contact me and let's chat about how I can help you reduce levels of seep-depriving conditions.
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