Sleeping Problems do not Necessarily come with Aging

Complaints about lack of sleep among the elderly are very common with the main symptoms being difficulty in falling asleep, maintaining sleep, waking up very early in the morning and excessive sleepiness during the day. However, it should be noted that sleeping patterns change during a person's lifetime and one should not expect to sleep as much as they used to when they were younger. Many elderly people sleep very early in the evening meaning that they will be up very early in the morning in most instances. Some doctors say that this is the way that the body pays back for the sleeping habits of people when they were younger and used to sleep really late and wake up late in the day.

The Truth about Sleep Problems for the Elderly
Sleep problems among the elderly are mainly associated with chronic and acute medical diseases, the effects of medication, psychiatric disorders and social changes. Other causes include poor sleeping habits such as taking long naps during the day, decreased memory and the general physical impairment to function as when they were younger. All these contribute to chronic fatigue, falls and accidents. The elderly people and their families might fail to realize that these are the main problems affecting them. They may consequently fail to diagnose and treat them adequately and therefore end up accepting sleeping problems as a normal part of aging.

Proven Strategies to Curb Sleeping Problems
There are things that the elderly can do to improve their sleep problems and they include keeping a diary which tracks their daily routines. Such routines include bedtime and waking hours, daily exercises, the timing of meals, amount of medication and how much sleep one has. This helps to determine if one really has trouble sleeping or their normal sleep is affected by other factors. If it is determined that these factors are what are affecting sleep, the normal routine should be changed or tweaked and also be monitored to see if there are any changes in sleep. Proper medication should be administered for any other ailments that the elderly may have.

Daylight exposure and daily exercises have been known to reduce insomnia. Exposure to light for more than 30 minutes to an hour a day especially in the evening can help to reduce incidents of waking up very early in the morning. Engaging in exercise engages the body resources leaving one feeling tired and hence require rest. Activities should therefore be planned for those who rarely engage in any form of physical fitness. This will help them enjoy restful sleep as the body restores itself when sleeping. Other measures to put in place include waiting until one is really sleepy to go to bed, avoiding naps especially after two in the afternoon and managing stress by participating in relaxation techniques.

When to Use Sleeping Medication
Medication for sleep related problems should be taken with caution especially if one is also taking medication for other ailments. Some of the medication might have side effects and should be taken in small dozes. The use of sleeping medication should also be minimized as one is still trying to come up with good sleeping habits. The common medications in the market include antihistamines that are issued over the counter, Melatonin which is also used to cure jet lag and hypnotic medications such as benzodiazepine receptor agonist are common medications for sleep problems.

Given the common occurrence of insomnia among the aging and the easy availability of efficient treatment, it is very important that the elderly are screened for sleep disorders. It is vital to educate all people on normal changes related to sleep but it is also very important for everyone to know that sleep disorders are not normal occurrences for the aging.