How come some seniors over 60 have irregular sleeping patterns?
Answers
Sleep deprivation and, in some cases insomnia, are prevalent disorders in older adults, and it’s important to cure them. The sleep disorder can affect your lifestyle, career, and even your mental health. There are various reasons due to sleep disorders, especially in older adults. Let’s check some of them out!
1. Body chemicals and hormones
As people age, the organization of chemicals and hormones production completely changes. This change can affect many sides of seniors’ lives, such as sexual life and sleep regulation. Melatonin is one of the most important hormones that release naturally in the body. Its level decreases significantly in older adults.
2. Lifestyle
Anything that you do regularly and daily is a part of your lifestyle. Obviously, a healthier lifestyle, especially at older ages, helps you avoid many diseases and damages and makes everything easier to do. High-risk habits like drinking too much, smoking or an unhealthy diet not only disturb your sleep cycle but can increase the risk of heart attack, diabetes, blood pressure, and so many other disorders. So take a step back and take a good look at your lifestyle. Is it healthy enough?!
3. Medicine side effects
Insomnia and sleep disorder can be the result of certain medications. Medicines such as dopamine agonists, steroids, anticonvulsants, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can disturb sleep regulation or intense Insomnia. So if you’re under particular medication, take your Insomnia as one of the side effects of your medicines.
4. Health issues
In so many cases, some health conditions can cause sleep deprivation. Diabetes, prostate and kidney issues, or heart failure can disturb the sleep system by waking you up to urinate several times during the night. Sometimes these issues can also take your whole energy and make you look exhausted all the time! So, it’s essential to take medication and control these diseases if you’re willing to improve your sleep cycle.