Unfortunately, waking up to go to the bathroom at night also places older adults at greater risk for falling.ĭisorders that cause pain or discomfort during the night such as heartburn, arthritis, menopause, and cancer also can cause you to lose sleep. Prostate enlargement in men and continence problems in women are often the cause. However, the most common reason older adults wake up at night is to go to the bathroom. If insomnia lasts longer than a month, it is considered chronic, even if the original cause has been resolved. Or it may occur after a change in personal circumstances like losing a loved one, relocating, or being hospitalized. Short-term insomnia, lasting less than one month, may result from a medical or psychiatric condition. Waking up early and being unable to get back to sleep.Taking a long time - more than 30 to 45 minutes - to fall asleep.If you have insomnia, you may experience any one or any combination of the following symptoms: It affects almost half of adults 60 and older. Insomnia is the most common sleep complaint at any age. Movement disorders, such as restless legs syndrome.Sleep-disordered breathing, such as snoring and sleep apnea.The following are the most common sleep disorders among older adults: Sleep disorders can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep during the night and can make you drowsy during the day. If you have a sleep disorder it can be hard to get a good night’s sleep. If you are having trouble sleeping, see your doctor or a sleep specialist. Sleep patterns change as we age, but disturbed sleep and waking up tired every day are not part of normal aging. In fact, many healthy older adults report few or no sleep problems. Many people believe that poor sleep is a normal part of aging, but it is not. Poor sleep is also associated with a poorer quality of life. Older adults who have poor nighttime sleep are more likely to have a depressed mood, attention and memory problems, excessive daytime sleepiness, more nighttime falls, and use more over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids. Not sleeping well can lead to a number of problems. Researchers have noted that people without major medical or psychiatric illnesses report better sleep. Older adults may also have other medical and psychiatric problems that can affect their nighttime sleep. They may also be more sensitive to - and may awaken because of - changes in their environment, such as noise. Older adults may produce and secrete less melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. There are many possible explanations for these changes. Many older adults tend to get sleepier earlier in the evening and awaken earlier in the morning. Nighttime sleep schedules may change with age too. A study of adults over 65 found that 13 percent of men and 36 percent of women take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.Īlso, older people often sleep less deeply and wake up more often throughout the night, which may be why they may nap more often during the daytime. One reason is that they often have more trouble falling asleep. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they need. Interestingly, older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults - seven or more hours of sleep per night. Children and adolescents need more sleep than adults. Sleep needs change over a person’s lifetime. Resources for Health Care Professionals.
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