Sleep is essential as we age, but many older adults find it harder to get the required rest. Learn why your sleep patterns may change as you age and how you can get a better night’s rest.
Sleep is important at every stage of life. However, as you get older, you may experience sleep problems.
Many seniors may believe that they don't need as much sleep as their younger counterparts. However, that's a common misconception, said Emily Colantonio, an occupational therapist at Ascension St. John Rehabilitation Hospital of Owasso, an affiliate of Encompass Health.
“Older adults require just as much sleep as they did in their youth, but they may have a harder time falling asleep, sleep less deeply and wake up more often,” she said.
Colantonio added that getting quality sleep is the foundation for participating in daily activities. “Without it, other areas of your life can be negatively affected,” she said.
Sleep has countless benefits from improving your immune system and supporting recovery to sharpening your memory and focus — all important to supporting overall health, especially as you get older.
What causes sleep problems in older adults?
Sleep disturbances as you age could be the result of a variety of factors including certain health conditions, medications and other stimulants.
Health conditions that affect sleep
Chronic conditions such as diabetes and COPD could cause sleep problems in older adults. Individuals with diabetes may have to get up more frequently during the night to use the bathroom. COPD, a chronic lung disease, could impact breathing during sleep, causing you to wake more frequently or sleep less deeply.
Progressive neurological conditions could also be to blame for sleep disturbances in older adults. Brain changes that come with some dementias and Parkinson's disrupt REM sleep, the deep sleep stage most associated with dreaming and important to overall brain health.
Other conditions common in older adults that could disrupt sleep include:
- Arthritis
- Acid reflux
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Depression
- Menopause
Medications and sleep disruptions
Everyday medications can cause sleep problems. Many over-the-counter pain medications contain stimulants such as caffeine. Some decongestants contain pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine, which can disrupt sleep.
Prescription medications can also deprive you of sleep. Many heart and blood pressure medications contain beta blockers, and certain cholesterol medications contain statins, both of which can cause insomnia.
Lifestyle factors that can keep you awake
Everyday habits can have a significant impact on sleep. Common sleep disruptions related to lifestyle include:
- Nicotine is a stimulant and can disrupt sleep. In heavy smokers, nicotine cravings could cause you to wake more often.
- Caffeine consumption, even in the afternoon, can impact sleep quality.
- Though alcohol is a sedative and can help you fall asleep, it disrupts that deep REM sleep that is needed for rest and recovery.
- Screen time before bedtime can also impact your ability to fall and stay asleep. The blue light from the screen increases activity in your brain making you more awake.
How much sleep do older adults need?
Like younger adults, older adults need around seven to eight hours of sleep each night. While some nights, that may be difficult to come by, Colantonio said you can have what is commonly referred to as sleep debt.
Sleep debt is the difference in the number of hours of sleep required versus the number of hours of sleep you get.
“If you have a sleep debt, you have to make it up,” Colantonio said. “For example, if you lose two hours of sleep at night, then you have to make up that time or you have a debt. This debt can add up over several days causing you to feel more tired until you catch up.”
Naps during the day can be helpful but keep them short. Longer naps during the day could impact your quality of sleep at night.
How important is sleep as you get older?
Sleep, as Colantonio noted, is the foundation of your overall health.
“When you get enough sleep, you get sick less often,” she said. “It helps you maintain a healthy weight; it can reduce stress. It can even improve your memory and reduce your risk of developing chronic conditions. When you get good rest, you get off to a better start.”
Brain health and memory
Sleep is essential to brain health and function. It is often referred to as the brain's housekeeper in that it rids the brain of toxins accumulated during the day.
If you are sleep deprived, it's harder to maintain focus and make new memories.
Immune system
When you sleep, your immune system produces proteins that help regulate your body's response to inflammation. If you're not getting enough sleep, your immune system isn't producing enough of these proteins to best protect you from viruses and infection.
Recovery after illness or injury
If you do get sick, sleep plays a vital role in the recovery process. Working in the inpatient rehabilitation setting, Colantonio said sleep is a priority for her patients. Not only do they need the rest to participate in daily therapy, but those same proteins produced while you sleep that boost your immune system also help you heal after an illness or injury.
Tips to improve your sleep hygiene
While sleep might be most important if you are recovering from an illness or injury, sometimes it's most challenging to get, especially if you are trying to sleep while hospitalized.
“It's a fact that most people don't get good sleep in the hospital,” Colantonio said. “You're out of the home environment; you might have a lot of pain — you're in the hospital for a reason. Then there are all the hospital noises that keep people from falling asleep.”
As an occupational therapist in the inpatient rehabilitation setting, Colantonio said one of her roles is to help her patients get better quality sleep. “An occupation, the basis of occupational therapy, is anything that occupies your time. We spend a significant portion of our time sleeping, making it one of our most prominent occupations,” she said.
She offers the following advice to patients that can help improve sleep hygiene:
- Only use your bed for sleep. That way when you go to bed, your body knows you're preparing to sleep.
- Adopt a bedtime routine. For example, brush your teeth and change into your pajamas right before you go to bed.
- Avoid screens, including the television and your phone, right before you go to sleep.
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
- Use a sound machine or app to drown out any noises that might be keeping you awake.
Colantonio also recommends keeping a sleep diary, documenting when you go to bed and wake up, how long it took you to fall asleep, your quality of sleep, caffeine use and any sleep disturbances or activities that could have led to poor sleep.
“Include any details about what impacted your sleep, even if you had a nightmare or you're anxious about something,” she said. “Just any notable details about your day or night that could have impacted your sleep.”
5 ways to fall asleep faster
- A hot shower or hot bath before bedtime. This helps relax your body, and the higher temperature helps you fall asleep faster.
- Progressive muscle relaxation. Also known as the military sleep method, start with your head and face, relaxing your body one part at a time until you get to your feet and toes.
- Deep breathing. Slow, deep breaths can help calm the body and better prepare it for sleep.
- Meditation. Guided meditation can reduce anxiety and stress. Try it with soothing music to fall asleep faster.
- Positive imagery. Think of a place or thing that brings you happiness. Imagine that place with all your senses, from the sounds and smells to what it looks like. This can help distract your mind from worries that could be keeping you awake.