Table of contents:
- Physical causes of sleep problems in the elderly
- Psychological factors in the elderly are often sleepy and sleep excessively
- How to improve the sleep routine for the elderly?
The elderly or elderly often have trouble sleeping, look sleepy and sleep a lot during the day. Even if they don't fall asleep, the elderly often yawn and look lethargic. With age, sleep patterns tend to change, aging makes it more difficult for the elderly to fall asleep at night.
During nighttime sleep, the elderly often wake up to 3 to 4 times, spend less time in deep sleep, and usually wake up earlier.
This makes the elderly pay for the loss of sleep at night by taking a nap. If this only happens once or twice it may still be normal.
But if it often happens, getting a lot of sleep during the day could be a sign of trouble breathing at night or other sleep disorders.
Jack Gardner is a sleep and neurologist White Medical Center, Texas said sleep problems in the elderly can be influenced by two factors, namely physical and psychological factors.
Physical causes of sleep problems in the elderly
The elderly often yawn, are sleepy, and take a lot of naps, this is because they don't get enough sleep at night. There are several possibilities for physical problems that cause the elderly to have trouble sleeping at night.
First for reasons of insomnia. Common complaints of insomnia in the elderly are usually due to side effects of drugs, changes in body organ rhythms or circadian rhythms, and simple reasons due to the habit of consuming too much coffee.
"Insomnia is more common in the elderly, partly because of health problems, partly because of anxiety and aging concerns, and sometimes because of drugs," said Jack Gardner as reported by WebMD.
Other physical reasons for sleeping problems in the elderly are frequent urination, pain in their joints, or pain due to chronic illness. This makes the elderly often wake up and interfere with the quality of their night's sleep.
Psychological factors in the elderly are often sleepy and sleep excessively
The psychological reasons for sleeping problems in the elderly can be caused by several possibilities.
Advanced sleep phase syndrome
This could be due to a bad cycle of rest periods. As a person becomes an adult, the advanced sleep phase syndrome becomes more entrenched.
Advanced sleep phase syndrome or advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS) is a disorder in which a person is sleepy and falls asleep earlier than desired and wakes up earlier than desired.
Depression
According to the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), depression affects an estimated 1-5 percent of the general elderly population.
Depression in the elderly can be triggered by medical conditions, loss of loved ones or friends, lifestyle changes or chemical changes in the brain.
It is very important to recognize depression in the elderly because although the condition is relatively common, it is not normal and must be treated.
Most people are familiar with the basic signs of depression, but for older people, the signs can be a little different. Sleep problems and fatigue are often indications of mental health problems in the elderly.
Restless leg syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) or restless leg syndrome causes an unbearable and uncomfortable urge to move the leg.
This could be one of the causes of sleep problems in the elderly. RLS makes it difficult for a person to fall asleep and results in excessive sleepiness the following day.
How to improve the sleep routine for the elderly?
To overcome the problem of excessive sleep in the elderly, pay attention to lifestyle and sleep environment factors first.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, sugar and excessive amounts of fatty foods, especially in the late afternoon. Try to eat a healthy diet and get some light exercise.
Consider whether there are feelings of worry or stress or unusual that may play a role in your sleep problems.
Apart from the things above, there are many other psychological disorders that can cause their sleep problems. Consult with your doctor to find out the main cause that you or your parents are more often drowsy and fall asleep during the day.
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