A good night’s sleep is everything. But there’s a good chance that your parents or grandparents aren’t getting that good night’s sleep as often as they should.
Deep sleep starts eluding people in their forties. According to Harvard Medical College, by the time one reaches fifty, deep sleep is a thing of the past. The light sleep that people over 65 get is frequently fragmented. It’s likely that mom or dad wakes up several times a night.
While people may fall asleep easily, later in life, they often have trouble staying asleep. The inability to stay asleep is what scientists call a “sleep maintenance” issue.
Sleep deprivation is dangerous
Sleep deprivation, especially in the elderly, can lead to misery. Falling asleep during family get togethers might just be embarrassing. But falling asleep while driving poses obvious dangers.
And sleep deprivation causes a lot more than just sleepiness. People who don’t get at least five hours of sleep, on average, are twice as likely to have a heart attack. And folks who lie in bed awake for as little as a half hour are at high risk for death, even if their overall health is decent.
Insomnia also leads to falls because, without enough sleep, balance and alertness are compromised. One study shows that insomnia is one of the top reasons that caregivers decide to send their beloved parents or grandparents to a nursing home.
How you can help
Some experts think that sleeping pills, even prescription pills, have limited or poor results in many seniors. So, if pills don’t work, what can you do to help a senior get the right amount of sleep? If you have hired home care for your senior, enlist the help of the person who visits and helps your parent. This home care professional can help you track what might be interfering with a good night’s sleep.
It is important to first treat the most common underlying health reasons for insomnia. In other words, people over 65 are at high risk for sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and depression. All three of these conditions interfere with sleep, but they are treatable.
Getting enough exercise during the day also helps, as does avoiding chemical stimulants like alcohol, caffeine, and non-prescription drugs. A surprising number of over-the-counter medications, like aspirin and other NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), diphenhydramine, steroids, diuretics, and allergy meds can contribute to insomnia. You may want to look into your mother or father’s medicine cabinet to see what he or she might be taking that’s not worth the sleep loss.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is sometimes recommended for seniors with insomnia. This therapy helps people over 65 replace some negative thinking with positive thoughts. This can reduce the time people spend in bed, trying but failing to get to sleep.
In conclusion, insomnia is very common among the parents of adult children. It may be difficult to determine what is causing it, but not impossible. Be sure your parents get screened for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders as well as medications that could be the culprit. If a sleep disorder or medication is not the cause, consider helping your loved one obtain therapy.
Sources
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Insomnia_in_later_life
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC427621/
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/older-adults
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Billings, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
