Sleep is essential to the good health of the elderly. It helps their body repair itself and recharge for the following day, without which they could feel exhausted and irritable. Seniors should strive to get enough rest each night.
Sleeplessness among older adults may arise for various reasons, including changes to lifestyle and health, mental health issues or other medical conditions.
Symptoms of Insomnia
If the older adults are living with insomnia, its symptoms could include frequent awakenings during the night, inability to fall asleep when trying, fatigue and difficulty thinking clearly as well as feeling groggy during the day or experiencing difficulty carrying out daily tasks.
Causes of Insomnia
Some common causes of insomnia in older adults can include depression, snoring or medical issues. Sleep disturbance increases the risk of falls and other health problems such as depression or diabetes. Sleeplessness can be a serious condition, so seeking professional assistance should be of great importance for the elderly.
Prescription Medicines for Insomnia
To address these underlying conditions and reduce symptoms and improve sleep quality, your doctor can prescribe medication or therapy that can alleviate them and improve quality.
If the elderly have long standing insomnia issues, their doctor may suggest prescribing sleep medication. Since over-the-counter medicines typically cause side effects which aren't as tolerable for elderly patients, sleep medications might be better tolerated by this age group.
There are a range of prescriptions available to treat insomnia in elderly patients, including melatonin, antidepressants, and muscle relaxers. Unfortunately, all these medicines come with potential side effects like daytime drowsiness. Therefore, they should only be used in short amounts at once.
Changes in Sleep Pattern
As we age, our sleeping pattern changes. For instance, spending less time in deep sleep stages. Although this change may be normal with aging, it can result in poor quality sleep and lead to sleeping problems or fatigue. Therefore, the elderly should develop a sleep routine.
To address chronic insomnia, the older adults should begin by improving their sleep hygiene - setting a regular bedtime and eliminating distractions before going to sleep, including no eating or drinking an hour before sleep and keeping the bedroom as dark and quiet as possible.
Get Enough Sunlight
Sunlight plays an essential role in maintaining our natural sleep-wake cycle and levels of melatonin production, so getting at least two hours of sun daily - particularly if living in an environment without much natural lighting - is especially crucial for older adults, especially those living in darker surroundings.
A doctor can assist your elderly loved one in managing insomnia using cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation training treatments, which help them understand how they can better control emotions and behaviors that contribute to sleeplessness. You can also consult with The Air Station for more information about sleep disorders and obstructive sleep apnea treatment for older people and help your loved ones to sleep better!
Contact us @The Air Station at 6265 5608 or email us customer@theairstation.com.
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