How Much Sleep Do You Need For Healthy Aging?
How much sleep you got the night before is often a topic of conversation if you and your friends are over 50. You are not alone. The National Sleep Foundation reports that half of older adults have at least one symptom of insomnia. Whether you are up because you have to go to the bathroom, which happens more frequently as you age, or something is bothering you about your adult children or your job, interrupted sleep decreases your sleep quality and increases daytime sleepiness.
Interestingly, sleep has only come into its own as an active process necessary for good health since well into the twentieth century. That is when the key discoveries about the neurological and physiological activity associated with sleep debunked this long held perspective that sleep is passive. Once science and medicine realized that sleep was an important physical and mental activity, it opened a new era in sleep research.
Sleep is now characterized as a dynamic state controlled by specific and complex mechanisms. Even with all the medical and science advancements there is still no clear consensus about why sleep is necessary. One theory is that sleep allows the body time to repair itself on the cellular level. Other theories focus on what happens when people are sleep deprived. Everyone does agree, however, that sleep loss affects how we think, our mood, hormone balance, and our immune system. The research just has not figured out why.
Americans are sleeping less than ever before according to the Sleep in America Poll. Almost half are reducing it purposefully so they can accomplish other activities which they consider more important.
The problem is that as you get older, deep sleep or slow wave sleep decreases around 2 percent a decade from early adulthood to about age 60. People aged 60 and older generally show decreases in sleep efficiency or the actual sleep period divided by the time in bed. They also show an advancement of their circadian rhythms which means they tend to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. That is not to say that changes in the environment and behavior also contribute to changes in circadian patterns. And, of course, there are always people who are exceptions to the rule.
Fortunately people who voluntarily lose sleep can often resolve their lack of sleep without treatment. That does not include, however, about 60 million Americans who are suffering from sleep related problems or clinical sleep disorders. While 75 percent of Americans say they have at least one symptom of a sleep problem a few nights per week, the same survey indicates that 76 percent of Americans do not believe they have a sleep problem and less than half report any problem to their doctor.
I have no idea what category you may be in but I do know that untreated sleep disorders are not good for your health. For instance if you have sleep apnea, a broadly labeled sleep disorder breathing, it is likely you have an obstructive sleep apnea. Many who suffer from sleep apnea do not get an examination because the nature of the diagnosis and treatment is so cumbersome so the condition is undiagnosed. The danger is this could lead to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes or having an accident caused by excessive daytime sleepiness.
The good news is that more research on other, less obstructive techniques for diagnosis and treatment are in the works.
Do any of these signs describe you? If so then you are not getting enough sleep.
You depend on the alarm clock to wake you up.
You and the coffee are inseparable.
You are cranky and irritable especially in the afternoon.
You make more mistakes because you cannot concentrate when you are tired.
Here are some changes you can make to improve your sleep.
First use your bed and bedroom only for sleep and sex.
Take relaxation training classes to help reduce tension and give you techniques for relaxing your muscles.
Avoid caffeine at least 3 or 4 hours before bed.
Avoid alcohol late in the evening because it increases waking later in the night.
About the author
Ruthan Brodsky is a health and business writer with expertise in healthy aging. You are invited to claim her free report about how to find accurate information on the Internet. Visit Healthy Aging Success GuideTags: healthy aging, Ruthan Brodsky, sleep apnea, sleep problems, treating sleep problems