Sleep Is Great Medicine: How To Get A Good Night's Sleep Over 60

FIRST PUBLISHED: 05/1/2018. LAST UPDATED: 11/7/2022

SLEEP TIPS FOR SENIORS

Not Getting a good night's sleep shouldn’t be accepted as a normal symptom of ageing.

Just because you are older does not mean you should be tired all the time.

High-quality, restful sleep is essential to our physical and emotional health and one of the most under-appreciated steps we can take to improve it.

Sleep is essential medicine, and most of us are all guilty, myself included, of neglecting it in some way or another.

There is no change in the amount of sleep you require at any age! We should all aim to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night. And doing whatever we can to make sure this happens.

When we get less sleep, we are more forgetful, our mood is down, and we are more irritable (no one wants to hang around a cranky person!). And the risk of falling increases [1, 2].

If that's not enough, it has also been shown that not getting enough sleep is one of the most significant lifestyle factors determining whether or not you will develop Alzheimer's disease.

When we get a good night's sleep, we are happier, healthier, and more alert, any work we do is easier, life is easier, we have much more energy, and we enjoy life much more.

You can make some changes to ensure you get a restful sleep every night.

In this article, I will detail how you can get a good night's sleep each night.

Do your best to implement these strategies below, and you will get into much deeper sleep each night AND sleep for longer.

1. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR TO RULE OUT ANY UNDERLYING ISSUES

Health conditions include frequent urination, chronic or acute pain, arthritis, asthma, breathing disorders (sleep apnoea and snoring), diabetes, osteoporosis, night-time heartburn, or restless leg syndrome (RLS) can interfere with your sleep.

If you feel health ailments are causing sleep issues, speak to your doctor about this and work with your doctor on natural solutions to help you sleep.

2. CREATE THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT FOR SLEEP

Here are some tips to make your bedroom EXTRA comfortable:

• Have a nice comfortable bed.

• Keep your room or bed temperature just right – not too hot or not too cold. The ideal temperature for a good night's sleep is around 18 degrees Celsius. For me, this is too cold. Find the temperature which works best for you.

• TIP: If you don't have air-conditioning, there are blankets available that can not only cool but also heat your bed. If your partner prefers a different temperature than you, these products can be set to different temperatures on each side.

• Ensure your room is as quiet and dark as possible. Cut out any noise best you can and eliminate bright lights.

• Keep your room for just bedtime activities. Sleep and .. cuddles!

3. GET THE RIGHT LIGHT 

When we think of getting a good night's sleep, we don't usually think of getting adequate sunlight. However, getting outside in the sun, experiencing daylight is very important for health and to get a good night's sleep.

Sunlight helps regulate our sleep and wake cycles, increases our vitamin D levels and lifts our mood. 

Sunlight also directly inhibits a vital hormone (melatonin) during the day, allowing it to be produced at night when required.

Melatonin is much needed for good health and the onset of a healthy sleep cycle at night time.

To optimise your melatonin production, spend time outdoors or near sunlight daily. Don't overdo it by getting sunburnt.

Avoid artificial light (those from televisions, mobile phones, tablets, or bright alarm clocks) at least two hours before bed. These items trick our body into thinking it's daytime, suppressing our body's production of melatonin.

Switch off all screens two hours before bed. Read a paperback book or a tablet with no backlight and move that bright alarm clock out of view.

4. OPTIMISE YOUR SLEEP PATTERNS

The best time to sleep is as close to sundown as possible. The best time to wake up is as close to sunrise as possible. Why? Because as the sun goes down, our melatonin levels start to rise.

In today's day and age, getting to bed around this time is very difficult to do. But if you're extra keen to improve your sleep, try to get into a similar sleep pattern each night and go to sleep as close to sundown as possible.

If you're struggling to improve your sleep pattern and are tired during the day. Take naps. I love naps!

Don't ever feel guilty for taking naps or for sleeping, for that matter. Sleep is a natural doctor you go to help restore you. See this doctor more often and for longer.

5. GET ACTIVE AND SPEND MORE TIME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Getting active and getting social can improve sleep.

Exercise releases chemicals that will help you get a more restful sleep.

And spending time with people you enjoy hanging around can improve your energy levels and mood and is also a great way to keep your activity levels up.

On the other hand, being less social may make you drowsy and feel bored, lonely and lethargic - which affects sleeping patterns.

Getting and staying active and hanging around people that make you feel good will improve your mood, helping you get a good night's sleep.

So get moving more and start seeing those people you enjoy time with more often.

6. EAT HEALTHIER

The healthier you eat, the better you will feel, and your body's systems will work. The better you feel, the better your body works, and the better you will sleep. 

I know you don't need any more reminders about the importance of eating healthy but always do your best to eat those foods high in the healthy stuff (more nutrients).

Some nutrition tips to help you get a great night's sleep:

• Stay away from too much caffeine, especially later in the day. Caffeine is in coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate.

• Minimise, or avoid alcohol – higher amounts of alcohol in your system does not allow deep, restful sleep.

• Avoid large meals close to bedtime. Your body should be resting, not digesting.

• Minimise liquids 60 minutes before bed. This will decrease or negate the need to get up to go to the toilet during the night.

6. REDUCE STRESS AND RELAX MORE OFTEN

Getting your stress levels under control is very important.

If you find yourself worried, anxious or depressed during the day, having difficulty relaxing or continuously thinking about something, you may be under high stress. 

Many events in life can cause stress. 

Later in life, significant events like retirement, missing someone or moving locations can cause high stress.

Daily worries or stresses can also interfere with sleep at night.

Learn how to let go of your thoughts and worries; by doing this, you will improve your sleep.

You may know I'm big on mindfulness for decreasing stress, and I think everyone should find a technique that will help bring on relaxation. This should be done daily.

When we are more relaxed, it's easier to let new stresses go and look at certain situations differently. 

 Some ways to decrease stress are:

• Listen to soothing music.

• Read a book that makes you feel relaxed.

• Take the time to relax before going to bed.

• Use a relaxation technique (meditation, mindfulness, hot bath - whatever you know works for you) to prepare your body for sleep.

• Speak to a counsellor, good friend or family member about what's troubling you.

• Set goals to work towards to move your focus to something productive, rather than keeping your focus on your worries.

7. MEDICATIONS

Finally, some medications can affect your sleep. If you've noticed a pattern of sleep issues since starting a new medication, chat with your doctor about this and see what changes can be made.

Medication for sleep should not be taken every night.

Sleeping medication is helpful in some instances, but it is not a long-term solution for helping you sleep.

The long-term solution is finding the cause of why you are having trouble sleeping and eliminating it.

There you have seven strategies to help you improve your sleep. Start making the changes above from today and you'll find your sleep improving ten-fold. Here’s to a good night’s sleep.. Every night!

SOURCES

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