As we age, the body’s natural clock and mechanisms that help regulate sleep change. — Pexels
Did you know the idea that we need less sleep as we age is a myth? Adults need seven or eight hours of sleep every night, no matter how old they are. Being sleep deprived can lead to physical and psychological issues such as clumsiness, falls and also low energy and low mood.
However, as we age, sleep patterns may change. Here’s how ageing changes sleep, and how to get quality sleep.
What the science says
In 2019 Dr Junxin Li, a sleep expert at University of Pennsylvania, in the United States led a team of researchers who collected thousands of studies, analysed them, and then set out guidelines for sleep during normal healthy ageing.
As we age, the body’s natural clock and mechanisms that help regulate sleep change. Scientists note body temperature and the release of hormones like melatonin and cortisol are also affected.
As a result, older adults often feel sleepy earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning than they would like.
Also, there is less deep sleep. We wake up more often at night, and are more inclined to nap during the day.
However, healthy older adults still have quality sleep; it’s illness and lifestyle factors that typically cause sleep problems.
Drink less coffee, and stay healthy: A study 2024 study led Lam Cheng Yin, Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology, Malaysia, evaluated the sleep of 392 elderly Malaysians. Just under 58% reported poor sleep quality.
Researchers selected subjects at random, in everyday life, not hospital patients. However, some 73% had either hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes or a combination of these. Poor health was a significant factor leading to poor sleep.
Those who drank coffee, also reported poorer sleep, and the researchers note that the body’s ability to process caffeine lessens with age.
Don’t feast At Night: The NHMS 2024: Nutrition report found our eating habits are naughty too. In a Health Ministry (MoH) survey or 5400 households, they found some 15% of people aged 55 and over eat a heavy meal after 10pm at night once a week and 8% do so every day.
Interestingly, of those late-night feasts, only 15% are outside meals; a whopping 85% are home prepared. While they are delicious, the MoH notes that late night heavy meals can disrupt sleep quality, create digestive issues, affect our metabolism, and increase risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
This suggests going to bed on a full stomach is great for pythons but not us.
For good sleep, limit feasts to being treats, not daily affairs, and eat earlier in the day.
Further tips for better sleep
Attitude Counts. In my practice, I find that clients sometimes sabotage their sleep quality by setting unrealistic standards and then micromanaging to try and get to that impossible goal.
First, the idea that good sleep means putting your head down and getting seven or eight hours straight is a recent idea. For millennia, we slept in two periods.
We would go to bed around 9 or 10pm, wake up at about 1am, and read, walk, socialise, or pray. The second sleep would run from 2am or 3am till 6am or 7am.
Interestingly, historians noted the same pattern around the world. Some countries with super hot afternoons, like Malaysia and Spain, typically also have siesta periods.
The change, forcing people to sleep eight hours in a block, came with the industrial revolution that created artificial light and factories that work best with workers putting in consistent long shifts.
In short, when looking for good quality sleep, don’t worry too much about having it all in one chunk.
If you waken up at night, read, go for a short walk, or just relax.
Tip: don’t look at a screen! Your brain confuses blue light with daylight, which upsets your body’s natural rhythm. If you read, make it a paper book.
Still think you’re not getting in a proper forty winks?
Joy and Activity. Kids who run around and play tend to sleep well at night. You may or may not be out marathoning but the point is this: being busy and happy will lead to better sleep.
Do fun things during the day, whether it’s puzzles, board games, or chatting to a friend. And go for a walk or do some gentle stretches. In some studies, Tai Chi is linked to improved sleep quality.
Physical Comfort. Check that your room is set up for maximum comfort. That means a mattress that supports you, a pillow that’s the right thickness and consistency, and bedding that keeps you warm.
Also, as our brains are wired to alert us when there is light, use blackout curtains.
Block Your Ears. Sounds disrupts. Curiously, there is no proper research on the effect of audio books at night, but we all know how a car or bike going down the road can disturb a solid snooze.
To ensure rest, invest in ear plugs. There are fancy ones for sale at the pharmacy but affordable foam is also an option. Buy them in large packs from ironmongers, pharmacies and bargain shops.
Visualisation. It’s a bit woo-woo but if you want to quiet your mind and don’t have an aptitude for meditation, consider visualisation.
A simple version has these steps: close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply, and focus on an image that makes you happy and relaxed. Maybe it’s swimming in a pool. Maybe it’s walking through a meadow.
Whatever it is, just breathe and let your imagination guide your serenity and joy. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be unconscious in minutes.
Ellen Whyte is a counsellor and psychotherapist who has a soft spot for cats. She founded an online practice in 2016, and works with clients in 20+ countries. The opinions and views expressed in this article is entirely the writer’s own.
