How to sleep better this fall

Kathleen Anderson

It’s already October, and we are rapidly heading toward that time of year when I began asking “What time is it?" every 15 minutes after 6 p.m. After all, if it is dark, can bedtime be far behind?

When my children became parents, I marveled at their cleverness at disguising bedtime. It began with my oldest daughter who announced it was “bed-thirty” when her kids showed signs of tired behavior.

An actual time was never assigned to bed-thirty, and thus it could be varied on any given night. We had another friend who used “dark-thirty.”  This worked fine in the winter months but summertime was a different story.

However, room-darkening drapes solved the summertime problem until the kids were old enough to question why nighttime arrived earlier in their bedroom than in the rest of the house.

Some of my granddaughters use the five-minute rule. Without any set time defined, the parents simply announce, “Ok, Kiddo. It’s five minutes until bedtime.” This gives the little ones enough time to air their complaints about not being tired, while they finish their snack, game, or whatever they are doing at the moment.

But not all bedtimes are about kids. As we age, our sleeping patterns change.

Sleep and aging

According to the National Institute on Aging, (NIH) older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults—seven to nine hours each night. But older people tend to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier than they did when they were younger.

There are many reasons why older people might not get enough sleep at night. Feeling sick or being in pain can make it hard to sleep. Some medicines can keep you awake. No matter the reason, if you don’t get a good night’s sleep, the next day, you may be irritable, feel depressed, and/or have more falls or accidents.

The good news is being older doesn’t mean you have to be tired all the time. You can do many things to help you get a good night’s sleep. Here are some ideas offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

• Follow a regular sleep schedule. Go to sleep and get up at the same time each day, even on weekends or when you are traveling.
• Avoid napping in the late afternoon or evening if you can. Naps may keep you awake at night.
• Develop a bedtime routine. Take time to relax before bedtime each night. Some people read a book, listen to soothing music, or soak in a warm bath.

They also advise us not to watch television or use your computer, cell phone, or tablet in the bedroom. The light from these devices may make it difficult for you to fall asleep. And alarming or unsettling shows or movies, like horror movies, may keep you awake.

More suggestions include some common-sense solutions such as keeping your bedroom at a comfortable temperature, not too hot or too cold, and as quiet as possible. Exercise at regular times each day but not within 3 hours of your bedtime. And avoid eating large meals or having caffeinated drinks and chocolate close to bedtime—they can keep you awake.

Contrary to popular belief, alcohol won’t help you sleep. Even small amounts make it harder to stay asleep, according to NIH

Insomnia is common in older adults

Insomnia is the most common sleep problem in adults age 60 and older. People with this condition have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.

Some older adults who have trouble sleeping may use over-the-counter sleep aids. Others may use prescription medicines to help them sleep. These medicines may help when used for a short time. But remember, medicines aren’t a cure for insomnia.

Developing healthy habits at bedtime may help you get a good night’s sleep.

Movement disorders and sleep

One of the worst problems older adults suffer from is the dreaded restless legs syndrome.  People with restless legs syndrome, or RLS, feel like there is tingling, crawling, or pins and needles in one or both legs. This feeling is worse at night. See your doctor for more information about medicines to treat RLS.

Periodic limb movement disorder, or PLMD, causes people to jerk and kick their legs every 20 to 40 seconds during sleep. Medication, warm baths, exercise, and relaxation exercises can help.

Sleep apnea

People with sleep apnea have short pauses in breathing while they are asleep. These pauses may happen many times during the night. If not treated, sleep apnea can lead to other problems, such as high blood pressure, stroke, or memory loss.

You can have sleep apnea and not even know it. Feeling sleepy during the day and being told you are snoring loudly at night could be signs that you have sleep apnea.

If you think you have sleep apnea, see a doctor who can treat this sleep problem. You may need to learn to sleep in a position that keeps your airways open. Treatment using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device almost always helps people with sleep apnea. A dental device or surgery may also help.

Safe sleep for older adults

Try to set up a safe and restful place to sleep. Make sure you have smoke alarms on each floor of your home. Before going to bed, lock all windows and doors that lead outside. Other ideas for a safe night’s sleep are:

• Keep a telephone with emergency phone numbers by your bed.
• Have a lamp within reach that is easy to turn on.
• Put a glass of water next to the bed in case you wake up thirsty.
• Don’t smoke, especially in bed.
• Remove area rugs so you won’t trip if you get out of bed during the night.

For more information about sleep for older adults, check out NIH’s advice, here.

Kathleen Anderson writes this column each week from her home in Olympia.  Contact her at  kathleen@theJOLTnews.com or post your comment below.