We all know how good it is to wake up and feel completely rested after a quality sleep. However, it’s estimated that 1 in 3 people don’t get get enough sleep!
Missing out on the odd night of sleep here or there won’t affect your health, but if your sleepless nights go on for longer than this, it can have a negative impact on your health and well being.
Getting enough sleep helps you stay healthy and alert. But, many older people don’t sleep well. If you’re always sleepy or you find it hard to get enough sleep at night, it may be time to chat with your doctor.
If you’re struggling to get to sleep or stay asleep you may have insomnia.
Insomnia
Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in adults age 60 and older. People with this condition have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Insomnia can last for days, months, and even years. Having trouble sleeping can mean you:
- Take a long time to fall asleep
- Wake up many times in the night
- Wake up early and are unable to get back to sleep
- Wake up tired
- Feel very sleepy during the day
Often, being unable to sleep becomes a habit. Some people worry about not sleeping even before they get into bed which can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Health Conditions
Feeling sick or being in pain can make it hard to sleep. Some medications can keep you awake. No matter the reason, if you don’t get a good night’s sleep, the next day you may:
- Be irritable
- Have memory problems or be forgetful
- Feel depressed
- Have more falls or accidents
The Benefits of Sleep
Sleep is good for you for lots of reasons:
- Sleep Improves Concentration
A good night’s sleep increases your energy levels and allows you to be alert throughout the day. Not getting enough sleep can affect your attention span and concentration which can lead to an increased risk of accidents such as trips and falls.
- Sleep aids rest and repair
Not only does sleep allow your body the time it needs to rest, repair and rebuild, but it does the same for your mind too. As you sleep, your brain begins to process all the information you’ve taken on during the day. It converts your short-term memories into long-term memories. This helps you to learn and means that when you wake up, you can often see things more clearly.
- Sleep can help maintain a healthy weight
Not getting enough sleep can make it more difficult to control your appetite which might cause you to gain weight. If you’re not sleeping properly, your body will need more energy because it’s awake for longer. Some research has even suggested that being sleep-deprived changes the level of hormones that signal hunger and fullness in your body. This can make you more likely to choose unhealthy foods (like those high in sugar), and to overeat, particularly later in the day. So sleep plays a key role in regulating how your body uses food for energy and getting enough sleep could help to control your weight.
- Sleep helps keep your hearth healthy
Lack of sleep can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes and coronary heart disease. Interrupted sleep is thought to stimulate your sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response e.g. how your body reacts when it senses danger. The sympathetic nervous system also activates your cardiovascular system and increases your blood pressure to prepare you for waking up. But if you’re being kept awake too often, your body can’t compensate for this rise in blood pressure. Having high blood pressure is also a major risk factor for stroke and coronary heart disease.
- Sleep keeps your immune system strong
Sleep gives your body the time it needs to rest and repair, which is one of the reasons you feel tired and want to sleep more when you’re unwell. Sleep supports your immune system to detect and destroy any foreign invaders your body might need to fight off.
- Sleep improves emotional well-being
If you’ve got a lot on your mind and are struggling with your emotions, going over things in your head can often keep you awake at night. If you’re up all night worrying, you might begin to see a change in your mood and a lack of sleep can leave you feeling low. This could then cause you to feel anxious and create more negative thoughts about not sleeping. This might keep you awake even longer and can turn into a vicious cycle of worry and poor sleep.
- Sleep is good for your mental health
Not only is sleep an important factor in relation to your physical health, but it also plays an important role in your mental health too. If you’re not sleeping properly, you’re at a higher risk of developing poor mental health and can contribute to a range of problems including depression and anxiety.
- Sleep helps reduces stress
When you’re feeling stressed, your body releases ‘stress hormones’, which can keep you awake. A good night’s sleep has the opposite effect and helps to relax the systems in your body that are responsible for this stress response.
- Sleep helps maintain good relationships
It’s no secret that a bad night’s sleep can leave you feeling grumpy. So making sure to get enough good sleep can help you feel more positive. When you’re feeling good, it’s likely to be felt by the people around you, so getting enough sleep can help you to maintain good interpersonal relationships.
Tips on Getting to Sleep
Being older doesn’t mean you have to be tired all the time. You can do many things to help you get a good night’s sleep.
- Be consistent
Good sleep habits (sometimes referred to as “sleep hygiene”) can help you get a good night’s sleep. Try to go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including at the weekend.
- Check your environment
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature
- Electronics
Avoid mobile phones and screens such as laptops and tablets. The blue light emitted from these devices suppresses the body’s release of melatonin a hormone that makes us feel drowsy.
Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom.
- Watch what you eat and drink
Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, can disrupt sleep. Cut down on caffeine in tea, coffee, energy drinks or colas, especially in the evening. Caffeine interferes with the process of falling asleep, and also prevents deep sleep.
- Exercise
Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.
- Wind down
Try having a warm bath, listening to music or doing some yoga to help you relax and wind down before bed time making it easier to fall asleep.
A warm bath before bed helps to relax the muscles and lower your heart rate and blood pressure making it easier to fall asleep.
Listen to music to relax your mind. There are also specific relaxation CDs and sleep podcasts that can help you get in the sleep zone. Or you could check out the NHS Sleep APP
Some gentle yoga stretches can help to relax the body and quiet the mind. Nothing too strenuous though, you are trying to wind down.
- Your bed
It’s difficult to get a good night’s sleep on a mattress that’s too soft or too hard, or a bed that’s too small or old. If you are struggling to get to sleep because you can’t get comfortable or find the right position then an Adjustable bed could be the answer to a good night’s sleep.
Adjustable Beds
At Mobility Scotland we have a fantastic range of Adjustable Beds at our state of the art showroom in Kirkintilloch for you to see and try out.
