6 Sleep Problems for Seniors:
Are You at Risk?

Rob and I frequently hear seniors complain about not getting enough high quality, refreshing sleep. What about you? Do you have any of these six sleep problems?

6 Common Sleep Problems for Seniors

1. Noise: If noise is a problem for you, you probably have good hearing―and at least that’s good. Sleep interruptions could be helped by a good pair of ear plugs. Your partner may have sleep apnea and need treatment for snoring. There is a link with dementia when you don’t get enough oxygen to the brain.
2. Pain: A wide range of medical conditions have an impact on sleep. If you are experiencing chronic pain, including leg cramps, discuss this with your doctor. They could be symptoms of a serious and treatable condition.
3. Frequent need to urinate: Monitor your intake of liquids, especially in the evening, and discuss this with your doctor.
4. Dehydration: Not drinking enough water leads to dehydration and headaches. Monitor your fluid intake, you may be surprised at how little water you actually drink. And discuss this with your doctor.
5. Gastroesophageal reflux disease: These symptoms can be deceiving, and range from a tightening sensation in the chest to acidic burning in the throat. Consult your physician for diagnosis and treatment.
6. Medications: The medications we end up taking to treat our various conditions also play into digestive and sleep problems. Excessive gas can awaken you (or your partner). Some of the things that can decrease the amount of REM and slow-wave sleep are alpha and beta blockers for high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, glaucoma, migraines, and antidepressants. Discuss alternatives with your doctor.

Our Senior Brains

Anxiety, depression, fears and loss of loved ones affect most seniors. Some report nightmares. Even psychologically healthy seniors must face the realities of mortality and disabilities that come with age.

Sleepless nights may cost you more than a morning of grogginess. Scientists at UC Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab have discovered interesting evidence. Missing deep non-REM sleep may leave the brain more vulnerable to memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In the long term, chronic sleep deprivation may lead to a host of other health problems, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even early mortality.

Developing healthy sleep habits can help you combat these common sleep problems. I’ll dive in to that in another post. In the meantime, I hope you rest well.