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Having
trouble sleeping?
Why
sleep becomes elusive
Sleep disorders
Good sleep habits
Is there anything
more frustrating than spending an entire night listening to the
tick of the clock on your bedside table?
Restless nights
sap people's vitality and zeal for life. Without enough rest, people
become more forgetful, have difficulty concentrating, become more
accident prone, and often feel irritable. While youngsters seem
to experience little difficulty sleeping, a solid eight hours of
shut-eye can become a challenge as the years pass. The need for
sleep doesn't change significantly, but the natural aging process,
certain chronic conditions, and medications all can erode your chances
of a good night's rest.
Why
sleep becomes elusive
With aging, there's less slow-wave, deeper sleep, and older people
are more likely to be awakened by noises in the environment.
According to
the National Sleep Foundation a number of health problems can make
sleeping difficult:
- Pain
People with arthritis
may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep because of
painful joints. A 1996 Gallup Poll found that 30 percent of all
nighttime pain sufferers experience arthritis pain at night. The
number rises to 60 percent for those over age 50. If you suffer
from arthritis, ask your doctor about treatment for the pain.
In that same poll, back pain, headaches, muscular aches, leg cramps
and sinus pain were also cited by those who had nighttime pain.
- Heartburn
Nighttime heartburn is marked by wheezing and chronic cough,
with repeated awakenings and daytime sleepiness. Raising the head
of the bed may alleviate symptoms, or medication may be needed.
- Respiratory
ailments
Asthma, chronic interstitial
lung disease, and various neuromuscular diseases can cause awakening.
One study found that 74 percent of people with asthma were awakened
from sleep in any given week.
- Menopause
The hot flashes and breathing changes associated with menopause
appear to disturb sleep. In one study, hot flashes were associated
with arousals once every eight minutes on average.
- Medication
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if your medications can cause insomnia
or drowsiness, and if changing the time the drug is taken could
help overcome these problems.
- Chemical
changes
Production of the hormone melatonin, which influences sleep and
wakefulness, decreases with age, just at the time when the likelihood
of sleep disorders increases.
Sleep
disorders
The
National Center on Sleep Disorders Research estimates that more
than 40 million Americans suffer from more than 80 different sleep
disorders and don't know it. Some of the most common include:
-
Insomnia
More than half of adults surveyed by the National Sleep Foundation
complain of difficulty falling or staying asleep or waking too
early.
- Sleep
apnea
Noisy, irregular breathing can signal this treatable sleep disorder.
In severe cases, the sleeper wakes several hundred times during
the night due to a partial obstruction that temporarily blocks
air flow.
Good
sleep habits
- Go to bed
at the same time each night.
- Reserve your
bed for sleep and sex. Watch television or read in another room.
- Avoid caffeine,
alcohol and cigarettes, especially in the afternoon and evening.
- Don't lie
in bed watching the clock. If you can't fall asleep within half
an hour, get up and listen to calming music or read.
- Exercise
20 to 30 minutes at least three days a week—but not too
close to bedtime.
- Limit naps
and don't nap longer than 30 minutes.
- Take a walk
outside during the day.
- Sleep in
a cool, quiet, dark room. Wear earplugs or eyeshades to block
out light and sound.
- Sleep on
good bedding.
- Limit drinking
liquids a few hours before bedtime.
- Don't go
to bed hungry or overstuffed; both may cause physical discomfort.
- Save scary
movies, strenuous exercise, and serious family arguments for daytime.
Remember that
sleep is a necessity, not a commodity. It's as much a part of overall
health as good nutrition and regular exercise. So don't settle for
two to three hours per night. Draw yourself a bath, pour a glass
of warm milk, crawl into a comfortable bed, don your earplugs, and
turn off all the lights. You deserve it. And call your doctor if
you need help.
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