How's your sleep?

Are you the type of person that sleeps 5 hours and feels great? Or do you sleep for 10 hours and still feel tired?

Research has shown that adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night, and older adults are no exception. When we're sleeping, our body and our brain are recovering from the day before, and recharging to get you ready for the next.

If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, waking up early and unable to get back to sleep, sleeping but still waking up tired, or feeling tired during the day, it may be time to check in with your doctor. (Remember our previous habit of scheduling regular check ups?)

Signs your sleep may not be restful include irritability, being forgetful or having memory problems, depression, and having more falls and accidents.

There are many reasons why you may be struggling to get your best sleep, including:

• Feeling sick
• Pain or discomfort
• Certain medications
• Overactive bladder
• Sleep apnea
• Movement disorders
• Insomnia, and stress over being unable to sleep
• Alzheimer's

But the good news is being older doesn't mean you have to be tired all the time. Ruling out any underlying medical conditions is a start, and then focusing on good sleep hygiene will get you on the path to a good night's rest.

Here are a few tips for better sleep:

• Use your bedroom mainly for sleeping. Ban screens like your TV, phone, and tablet.
• Don’t eat close to bedtime.
• Get some sunshine, fresh air, and exercise during the day.
• Go to bed and wake up about the same time each day.
• Make sure your room is at a comfortable temperature (not too hot).
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and intense exercise close to bedtime.

References:

National Institute on Aging

Sleep Foundation