Can't Sleep? Is Aging Responsible For Your Inability To Sleep?

Worried that you can't sleep? Do you feel that aging is responsible for your inability to sleep? More than half of the aging adults over the age of 65 years old have complaints of at least one sleep disturbance. Many experience sleeplessness on a regular basis.

As we age, we still require seven to nine hours of sleep a night. A good night's sleep is necessary to maintaining a healthy physical and mental well being. Research studies have shown that that there are a variety of things that affect our sleep as we age.

We continue to require the same amount of sleep as we did when we were younger, but our ability to get that good night's sleep has changed.

Sleeplessness can have major effects on the body and our ability to think. Chronic sleeplessness causes impaired memory, poor concentration and balance problems as we age. If you are constantly tired and have daytime sleepiness, you may suffer from chronic sleeplessness.

More Can't Sleep? Is Aging Responsible For Your Inability To Sleep?

Factors that affect our sleep as we age:
There are more periods of broken sleep (maybe due to getting up at night).
There are less periods of deep sleep experience.
Many aging adults find that they wake up early in the morning and unable to go back to sleep.
Medications for treating medical or psychiatric conditions may affect sleep.
Medical or health conditions, such as arthritis, diabetes, asthma affect sleep.
Pain or discomfort.
Stress, anxiety and worry are all attributed to sleeplessness.
There is an urge to go to bed in the early evening.
Poor sleep habits.
Development of a sleep disorder.

The good news is that a good night's sleep is possible at any age. In fact research has shown that by developing good sleep habits and learning stress reduction techniques are simple things that can change your sleeplessness into sleepiness.

Here are a few sleep habits that will help you overcome sleeplessness tonight:
Maintain a daily routine for waking and retiring to bed. It is important to keep this routine even on weekends.
Develop a bedtime ritual that assists you to calm down and prepare for sleep. This may include a warm bath, reading a good book, listening to soft music.

Maintain an active lifestyle. Just a walk can improve your sleeping every night.

Make sure the activity is not close to bed time. Your exercise should not be six hours before your bedtime, if you want to assure a good night's sleep.

Check out your bedroom environment. Is it conducive to sleeping? Do you sleep with a person that snores? Make changes to block out light, wear ear plugs, and use a white noise machine.

Avoid eating a large meal before bedtime. Many suffer gastric upset that can awaken you for sleep.

Limit alcohol intake before bed. Alcohol can make you feel sleepy, but interferes with quality deep sleep.
Avoid smoking.
Avoid caffeine.
Sleeplessness is due to worry, anxiety and stress. Learn stress reduction techniques and you will learn to have a good night's sleep.
Allow yourself to experience some sunlight, everyday.Bright light is a triggering mechanism that wakens us and puts us to sleep.
Determine if a nap during the day is beneficial or a detriment to a good night's sleep. You should not take a nap after 3 pm, as it may interfere with your evening sleep.

Your inability to sleep has many factors involved, and aging is only a tiny part of sleeplessness. You can learn to overcome many obstacles that prevent you from experiencing a good night's sleep. The important thing is identify what is causing you to lose sleep.

It may be a good time to keep a sleep diary for a month. Keep track of:
Write the time you awaken.
The time you got out of bed to start your day.
Identify how you feel during the day (tired, sleepy, forgetful, rested, energetic).
Note any physical activity you have during the day.
Note if you took a nap, the time of the nap and the length of the nap.
What you do prior to going to bed.
The time you go to bed.
Note problems with going to sleep.
Note times you awakened during the night.
Your thoughts that are keeping you awake.

Taking this step will help you and your physician or health care provider determine what is causing your sleeplessness, and help you overcome the obstacles to a getting a good night's sleep.