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The Effects of Aging on Sleep What You Can Do About It by Kate Bender
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leep plays a critical role in good health. Despite being well established that most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than one third of all American adults get less than that. As we age, our need for sleep does not decrease. Yet, the challenges to get a good night’s sleep increase. Normal age-related sleep changes include increased snoring, more nocturnal awakenings, and sleepwake phase advancement by which you wake up and fall asleep earlier than you did when younger. Increased snoring is primarily related to weakening of the muscles in the tongue and neck. It can be a sign of sleep apnea (pauses in breathing during sleep). If you wake up feeling unrested or experience daytime drowsiness, talk to your medical provider about getting tested for 20
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sleep apnea with a sleep study. This can be conducted at home or in a sleep lab. Untreated sleep apnea increases risk for motor vehicle accidents (due to drowsy driving), cognitive deficits, moodiness and irritability, depression, sexual dysfunction, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, heart failure, obesity, type-2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and maybe even cancer. If you are avoiding a sleep study because you believe you will be told to manage apnea with a CPAP machine, don’t put it off. CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is the gold standard of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, but it is not the only intervention. When left untreated, the harm to your body from sleep apnea can be severe. If concerned, ask your medical provider about a sleep study. If the snoring of a bedmate leaves you unrested, or sleep apnea has been ruled
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out through a sleep study, consider lifestyle modifications. Weight loss is recommended for a body mass index (BMI) over 30. Losing weight can reduce snoring and other health risks, too. Other changes, such as sleeping with your head elevated, treatment for nasal congestion, and avoiding sleeping on your back to reduce the amount or volume of snoring. Surgical options include removing the tonsils. Consult an otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose, Throat or ENT doctor) to see if other treatments are right for you or your bedmate. Waking up during the night is common with aging. Pain, menopause or an enlarged prostate may disturb sleep. Chronic pain can be related to arthritis, back issues or nerve conditions such as neuropathy. Getting calm and comfortable for sleep can be difficult when you are in pain. Addressing the root cause of the pain is the most effective approach. Once the source
