Why do we need less sleep as we age? It is not normal, but a sign of risk of certain diseases or risky behaviors.

Why is it harder or harder to sleep as we age? This can be observed from people close to us, especially parents and elderly relatives, who tend to go to bed late and always wake up in the early hours of the morning. Some people don’t even get 3-4 hours of sleep, หรือถ้าคุณสนใจแทงบอลออนไลน์ UFABET คือเว็บที่มีอัตราต่อรองดีที่สุดในประเทศไทย สมัครเลยตอนนี้ที่ UFABET แทงบอล but research has found that when people get older, they still need the same amount of sleep. They just can’t do it as well as they want because there are internal and external factors involved. This causes people who don’t get enough sleep, in the long run, to have their memories affected and be at higher risk of developing dementia than normal people.

Essential sleep

During deep sleep ,

the body restores the energy used throughout the day. Various mechanisms in the body slow down. Growth hormone is released to repair the body. The body’s immune system takes care of the damage and restores balance.

During sleep ,

the body adjusts its balance to thoughts, emotions, and stress that have accumulated during the day.

Factors affecting sleep deprivation or poor sleep

Internal factors

• Accumulated stress because it stimulates the body to release the hormone cortisol, which disrupts the sleep cycle.
• Hormones in the body, especially sex hormones and melatonin, which decrease with age, affect the sleep cycle.
• There are mental and neurological problems that are less responsive to sleep signals.

External factors

• Alcohol can disrupt sleep because it disrupts your sleep cycle.
• Consuming caffeinated beverages 4-6 hours before bedtime.
• Nicotine in cigarettes or tobacco
• Eating spicy or excessive food 1-2 hours before bedtime can disrupt sleep because the body needs energy to digest food. It also increases the risk of acid reflux.
• Hunger or an empty stomach, especially for those who are beginning to fast or diet in the evening. 
• Drinking too much water, causing you to wake up at night to urinate.
• My partner snores, my neighbor is loud, and the air conditioning in my bedroom is too cold. The air conditioning is too hot.
• Working shifts, irregular shifts, or experiencing jet lag due to frequent intercontinental travel
• Many medications can cause insomnia or poor sleep, and some can reduce sleep time, such as asthma medications, some heart medications, and some antiviral medications. If you have recently been prescribed a new medication by your doctor and notice that you are having trouble sleeping, consult your doctor immediately.
• Have underlying diseases such as chronic pain in various areas, acid reflux, sleep apnea.
• The light in the bedroom will interfere with the work of the hormone melatonin, affecting the quality of sleep. Therefore, all lights in the room should be turned off.

Practices that help relieve insomnia in the elderly

• Try to avoid taking naps during the day, or limit your nap time to no more than half an hour in the afternoon.
• Avoid drinking alcohol, alcoholic beverages, and caffeinated beverages such as coffee, especially in the evening.
• You should not drink water 4-5 hours before bedtime if you have frequent nighttime urination.
• Increase your daytime activities or exercise.
• If the elderly person does not feel sleepy when it is time to go to bed and cannot fall asleep, it is better to get up and do something rather than tossing and turning in bed.
• Set a consistent, regular dinner time and it should be higher in protein than your other meals.
• Try to keep your bedroom environment quiet and fairly dark, not too hot or too cold.
• Practice meditation to calm your mind.

If you have long-term sleep problems, you should consult a doctor to fix it at the right point and improve the quality of life for the elderly. It is also recommended that you have regular health check-ups at least 1-2 times a year.