As we age, good quality sleep can be hard to come by.  Our master clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, works less efficiently, and our pineal gland secretes less melatonin.  These biological changes result in a propensity for older adults to both fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier.  None-the-less, seniors need just as much sleep as younger adults - 7 to 8 hours per night is ideal - yet 40 - 70% of them don’t get quality sleep.  

The number one sleep complaint among older adults is waking up too early and not being able to fall back asleep, and the number one reason seniors wake up too early is to use the bathroom. Other common reasons for poorer sleep as we age include chronic pain, medications, obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and REM-behavior disorder.  

Sometimes the reason for inadequate sleep is unclear; in these people, daily exercise is the single most effective strategy to improve duration and quality of sleep. Other tips include getting enough daytime light, decreasing caffeine intake and keeping a good sleep routine.  Light is the most powerful cue for maintaining our circadian rhythm, and many seniors don’t get enough daytime light exposure.  Additionally, most people don’t realize that caffeine increases nighttime awakenings, so limiting caffeine is important even if it’s not keeping you from falling asleep.  Retirement brings less structure to our lives and the lack of a routine can easily lead to poor sleep habits.  Avoiding naps and keeping a regular sleep schedule are important; your iPhone can help by sending you daily reminders for bedtime and wakeup time.  

Ambien and other sleep hypnotics should be the last resort for sleep issues and should not be used for more than two weeks.  Hypnotics lose their efficacy after 14 days and can be dangerous in women and the elderly - blood levels are typically 45-50% higher in these groups. Unfortunately, Ambien and other sleep aids are widely prescribed; a recent study estimated that 77% of adults using Ambien are not following FDA safety recommendations.

At BreatheMD Sleep & Wellness, we are passionate about the importance of good sleep for better health. We get to the root cause of sleep issues and offer a wide variety of modalities - from our EmSella chair that decreases nighttime urination to guided meditation classes that ease insomnia -  to help our patients achieve great sleep.