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Men
tend to experience more and longer wakenings. Women are more sensitive
to noise.
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Daytime
napping is more common among men, and in 25% of 70-year-olds rising to
45% of 80-year-olds. Disturbed night sleep may be the cause of day
napping, though lifestyle factors like lack of stimulation, exercise
or stuffy rooms may contribute.
Circadian rhythms alter with age, possibly to different degrees in men
and women. Research has shown that body temperature and the
secretion of the hormone melatonin are different in old and young
people. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain during
sleep and levels decline with age, affecting sleep pattern and the
response to light. These changes make older people susceptible to waking
at unsocial hours. The body clock ‘awakes’ an hour earlier in the
morning with each decade from the age of 60.
Sleep patterns may alter with age, but individuals can be good or bad
sleepers at any time of life, and the differences between
individuals are greater than the differences between old and young.
Over-sensitivity to caffeine may be the problem.
Other factors besides age itself can affect the quality of sleep.
Physical illness causing pain, joint stiffness or other discomforts, a
weak bladder, the so-called ‘restless legs syndrome’, respiratory
ailments, depression, anxiety can all upset sleep patterns. Drugs such
as beta blockers for high blood pressure, ephedrine for asthma,
diuretics to stimulate passing urine, may also disturb sleep.
Dread and worry over loss of sleep have a knock-on effect. The
worry itself can cause exhaustion and tension - which in turn interferes
with sleep. We don’t all need 7 or 8 hours a night, and some individuals
get by happily on less. Sometimes, talking over the problem with a
doctor or counsellor can sort out the worry side of sleeplessness.
Mostly, insomniacs know when they are beaten, and may be tempted
by the magic of a pill. Millions swallow their nightly tranquillisers
and sleeping pills, often for many, addictive years. Doctors now prefer
to prescribe them for a short period, perhaps 3 or 4 weeks.
There are many books and tapes on the market offering different ways
to beat insomnia. Some advocate a strict routine even if it means
tossing and turning in bed for hours. Others recommend going to bed only
when tired. Give any method a few weeks before writing it off.
Keep a sleep diary for a week, noting when you go to bed, get to
sleep, wake up. Also, note your state of mind, whether something is
worrying you, making you angry, and interfering with your sleep. Doctors
use sleep diaries to help find the best non-drug approach.
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Is it a good idea to get a sleep later in the day if you had to
get up early or suffered a sleepless night?
A
midday nap can make it harder to get to sleep at night, and the
ideal thing is to retire earlier the following evening to make up on
the lost sleep. But the body tends to slow down after lunch, and
catching up occasionally at this time can prevent an exhausted
evening. A 15 minute nap is more refreshing than a longer, deeper
sleep that can leave you feeling slow and dozy. A 10-minute
relaxation, sitting or lying down with eyes closed, is just as good.
Set the alarm accordingly.
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Taken from Helen`s book:
Getting Older Slowly: Your Guide to Successful Ageing
Next month: Twelve no-drug ways to beat sleeplessness plus herbal
and other remedies
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