A good night's sleep.We all look forward to a good night's sleep. Getting enough sleep and sleeping well help us stay healthy. Many older people do not enjoy a good night's sleep on a regular basis. They have trouble falling or staying asleep. Sleep patterns change as we age, but disturbed sleep and waking up tired every day is not part of normal aging. In fact, troubled sleep Troubled Sleep (or La mort dans l'âme, in the original French) is a 1949 novel by Jean-Paul Sartre. Originally translated as "Iron in the Soul". It is the third part in the trilogy Les chemins de la liberté (The Roads to Freedom). may be a sign of emotional or physical disorders and something you should talk about with a doctor or sleep specialist. Sleep and Aging There are two kinds of sleep in a normal sleep cycle-rapid eye movement or dreaming sleep (REM) and quiet sleep (non-REM). Everyone has about four or five cycles of REM and non-REM sleep non-REM sleep A period of sleep characterized by decreased metabolic activity, slowed breathing and heart rate, and the absence of dreaming. In humans and certain other animals, the sleep cycle occurs in five stages, the first four consisting of non-REM a night. For older people, the amount of time spent in the deepest stages of non-REM sleep decreases. This may explain why older people are thought of as light sleepers. Although the amount of sleep each person needs varies widely, the average range is between 7 and 8 hours a night. As we age, the amount of sleep we can expect to get at any one time drops off. By age 75, for many reasons, some people may find they are waking up several times each night. But, no matter what your age, talk to a doctor if your sleep patterns change. Common Sleep Problems At any age, insomnia is the most common sleep complaint. Insomnia means: * Taking a long time to fall asleep (more than 30 to 45 minutes), * Waking up many times each night, * Waking up early and being unable to get back to sleep, or * Waking up feeling tired. With rare exceptions, insomnia is a symptom of a problem, not the problem itself. Insomnia can be linked with other sleep disorders Sleep Disorders Definition Sleep disorders are a group of syndromes characterized by disturbance in the patient's amount of sleep, quality or timing of sleep, or in behaviors or physiological conditions associated with sleep. such as sleep apnea sleep apnea, episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder in which relaxation of muscles in the throat repeatedly close off the airway during sleep; the person wakes just enough to take a gasping breath. , a common problem that causes breathing to stop for periods of up to two minutes, many times each night. There are two kinds of sleep apnea: * Obstructive sleep apnea Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) A potentially life-threatening condition characterized by episodes of breathing cessation during sleep alternating with snoring or disordered breathing. is an involuntary pause in breathing--air cannot flow in or out of the person's nose or mouth. * Central sleep apnea central sleep apnea Sleep disorders A type of life threatening sleep apnea due to defective responses to O2 and CO2 in the circulation Mechanism Possibly ↓ sensitivity to CO2. See Sleep apnea syndrome. is less common and occurs when the brain doesn't send the right signals to start the breathing muscles. In either case, the sleeper is totally unaware of his or her struggle to breathe. Daytime sleepiness coupled with loud snoring snoring, rough, vibratory sounds made in breathing during sleep or coma. The noisy breathing is the result of an open mouth and a relaxation of the palate; it is frequently induced by lying on one's back. at night are clues that you may have sleep apnea. A doctor specializing in sleep disorders can make a diagnosis and recommend treatment. Treatments include learning to sleep in the correct position, devices that help keep your airways open, medication, and surgery. Suggestions for a Good Night's Sleep A good night's sleep can make a big difference in how you feel. Here are some suggestions to help you: * Follow a regular schedule--go to sleep and get up at the same time. Try not to nap too much during the day-you might be less sleepy at night. * Try to exercise at regular times each day. * Try to get some natural light in the afternoon each day. * Be careful about what you eat. Don't drink beverages with caffeine late in the day. Caffeine is a stimulant and can keep you awake. Also, if you like a snack before bed, a warm beverage and a few crackers may help. * Don't drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes to help you sleep. Even small amounts of alcohol can make it harder to stay asleep. Smoking is dangerous for many reasons including the hazard of falling asleep with a lit cigarette. The nicotine in cigarettes is also a stimulant. * Create a safe and comfortable place to sleep. Make sure there are locks on all doors and smoke alarms on each floor. A lamp that's easy to turn on and a phone by your bed may be helpful. The room should be dark, well ventilated ven·ti·late tr.v. ven·ti·lat·ed, ven·ti·lat·ing, ven·ti·lates 1. To admit fresh air into (a mine, for example) to replace stale or noxious air. 2. , and as quiet as possible. * Develop a bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body that it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a to wind down. Some people watch the evening news, read a book, or soak in a warm bath. * Use your bedroom only for sleeping. After turning off the light, give yourself about 15 minutes to fall asleep. If you are still awake and not drowsy drows·y adj. drows·i·er, drows·i·est 1. Dull with sleepiness; sluggish. 2. Produced or characterized by sleepiness. 3. Inducing sleepiness; soporific. , get out of bed. When you get sleepy, go back to bed. * Try not to worry about your sleep. Some people find that playing mental games is helpful. For example, think black--a black cat on a black velvet pillow on a black corduroy corduroy, a cut filling-pile fabric with lengthwise ridges, or wales, that may vary from fine (pinwale) to wide. Extra filling yarns float over a number of warp yarns that form either a plain-weave or twill-weave ground. sofa, etc.; or tell yourself it's five minutes before you have to get up and you're just trying to get a few extra winks. If you are so tired during the day that you cannot function normally and if this lasts for more than 2-3 weeks, you should see your family doctor or a sleep disorders specialist. For More Information For general information about sleep, contact the following organizations: American Sleep Apnea Association The American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 by persons with sleep apnea and concerned health care providers and researchers. ASAA Mission 1424 K Street, NW, Suite 302 Washington, DC 20005 202-293-3650 www.sleepapnea.org Better Sleep Council 501 Wythe Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703-683-8371 www.bettersicep.org Narcolepsy narcolepsy, a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and recurring unwanted episodes of sleep ("sleep attacks"). People with narcolepsy may abruptly fall asleep at almost any time, including while talking, eating, or even walking. Network 10921 Reed Hartman Highway Suite 119 Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 513-891-3522 www.narcolepsynetwork.org National Center for Sleep Disorders Research Two Rockledge Center, Suite 10038 6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC (1) (MSC.Software Corporation, Santa Ana, CA, www.mscsoftware.com) Founded in 1963 by Richard H. MacNeal and Robert G. Schwendler, MSC is the world's largest provider of mechanical computer aided engineering (MCAE) strategies, simulation software and services. 7920 Bethesda, M D 20892-7920 301-435-0199 www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep National Sleep Foundation 1522 K Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005-1253 202-347-3471 www.sieepfoundation.org Restless Legs Syndrome Restless Legs Syndrome Definition Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the limbs, usually the legs, that occur at rest or before sleep and are relieved by activity such as walking. Foundation 819 Second Street, SW Rochester, MN 55902 507-287-6465 www.ris.org/foundation For more information about health and aging, contact: National Institute on Aging The National Institute on Aging is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland. Formed in 1974, NIA's mission is to improve the health and well-being of older Americans through research. It is the primary U.S. Information Center P.O. Box 8057 Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057 800-222-2225 (toll-free) 800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free) * To order publications (in English or Spanish) online, visit www.miapublications.org. * The National Institute on Aging website is www.nio.nih.gov. * Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov (www.nihseniorhealth.gov), a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. This simple-to-use website features popular health topics for older adults. It has large type and a "talking" function that reads the text out loud. May 2000 |
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