{"id":2706,"date":"2018-04-18T11:37:51","date_gmt":"2018-04-18T11:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/?page_id=2706"},"modified":"2018-05-30T13:25:48","modified_gmt":"2018-05-30T13:25:48","slug":"how-seniors-sleep","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/how-seniors-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"How Seniors Sleep: What You Need To Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we grow older, our sleep patterns also change, and it is all a normal part of the aging process<\/a>. The sleep cycle comprises of several stages:\u00a0light sleep; deep sleep; and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, where active dreaming takes place. Changes in the sleep pattern in older people push them towards the lighter stages of sleep. Unfortunately, this isn\u2019t the only change that affects their sleep—illnesses, multiple medications, and other factors<\/a> affect their slumber, which results to them getting less sleep than they need<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"old<\/p>\n

The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep<\/a> for people aged 65 years and older, but unfortunately, this is rarely fulfilled. While we have yet to fully understand the benefits of sleeping, there are several studies that have looked into the sleeping practices and patterns of the elderly. Contemporary science\u00a0has discovered a thing or two about these issues, along with other comorbidities.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at what we know so far when it comes to sleep and the aged:<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

How Rest Reduces Risk: Sleep, Alzheimer’s and Dementia<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"dementia<\/p>\n

Dementia<\/a> is a general term referring to symptoms that are associated with memory decline, to a point where a person’s normal everyday life is impaired. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a specific form of dementia that affects memory, behavior, and the overall\u00a0mental capabilities of a person. Since sleep is believed to be an integral part of memory formation, several studies suggest that it has an association with the disease. Although the cause is not yet exactly known, there are certain proteins that build-up in the brain in AD patients, and continuous lack of sleep increases these proteins. Learn more about the relationship of sleep and this dreaded neurological disease.<\/p>\n

Seniors and Sleeping Pills: Effects and Safety Concerns<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"elderly<\/p>\n

Sleep medications are seniors’ first go-to when they have problems falling or staying asleep, but is it really a safe treatment for sleepless nights, especially for\u00a0this\u00a0age group?\u00a0Different sleeping medications have varying side effects but a majority of them pose a form of rebound reaction\u00a0similar to the effects of having little to no sleep at all.\u00a0Falls and accidents are another danger\u00a0caused by using sleeping pills due to grogginess and\u00a0decreased concentration, and the elderly are a particularly vulnerable group for this since\u00a0recuperation is not always 100%, and they usually suffer from complications which could ultimately lead to death. Check out a more in-depth discussion in the\u00a0article.<\/p>\n

How Sleep Changes As We Age<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"sleepy<\/p>\n

Sleep becomes a little shallower and shorter as we go through life. When we\u00a0are younger, we\u00a0spend\u00a0hours in the deepest stage of our sleep\u00a0(REM sleep). As we grow older though, we spend less time in this stage,\u00a0as we spend the greater part of the night\u00a0in the NREM or the lighter stages of sleep. This is why older adults\u00a0wake up frequently during\u00a0their sleep and experience\u00a0broken, less satisfying slumber.\u00a0There are several causes of this: changes in the circadian rhythm and growth hormone levels are some of the primary suspects.<\/p>\n

Eye Disorders and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Is There a Relationship?<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"old<\/p>\n

Five eye disorders have been associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a potentially life- threatening condition\u00a0with numerous serious complications if not\u00a0promptly treated. Up to 32% of people aged over 65 experience sleep apnea,\u00a0caused by comorbidities and changes in the airway due to aging. The association between OSA and these eye disorders are so strongly established that some doctors\u00a0automatically issue a sleep study for patients who had been diagnosed with the eye condition.\u00a0For example,\u00a096% of people afflicted with Floppy Eye Syndrome, a disorder which\u00a0mainly manifests as an aesthetic problem,\u00a0also experience\u00a0OSA.\u00a0Read more on this relationship in the article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we grow older, our sleep patterns also change, and it is all a normal part of the aging process. The sleep cycle comprises of several stages:\u00a0light sleep; deep sleep; and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, where active dreaming takes place. Changes in the sleep pattern in older people push them towards the lighter stages […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2712,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"article-template.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2706"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2706"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2782,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2706\/revisions\/2782"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodnights.rest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}