Insomnia & Aging tip 3

Insomnia & Aging tip 3: Improve sleep habits

Poor sleep habits, including a poor sleep environment and poor daytime habits, can be the main causes of sleep problems and low-quality sleep. In many cases, older adults develop these poor sleep habits over a lifetime but find they create more and more problems as they age. Fortunately, these habits are easy to improve.

Improve daytime habits for better sleep

• Be engaged. Social activities, family, and work can keep your activity level up and prepare your body for a good night’s sleep. If you’re retired, try volunteering, joining a seniors’ group, or taking an adult education class.
• Improve your mood. A more positive mood and outlook can reduce sleep problems. Find someone you can talk to, preferably face-to-face, about your problems and worries.
• Exercise regularly. Exercise releases endorphins that can boost your mood and reduce stress, depression, and anxiety.
• Expose yourself to sunlight. Bright sunlight helps regulate melatonin and your sleep-wake cycles. Try to get at least two hours of sunlight a day. Keep curtains and shades open during the day, move your favorite chair to a sunny spot, or consider using a light therapy box to simulate daylight.
• Limit caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. All are stimulants and interfere with the quality of your sleep. 

Encourage better sleep at night

• Naturally boost your melatonin levels. Artificial lights at night can suppress your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. Use low-wattage bulbs where safe to do so, and turn off the TV and computer at least one hour before bed.  
• Don’t read from a backlit device at night (such as an iPad). If you use a portable electronic device to read, use an eReader that is not backlit, i.e. one that requires an additional light source such as a soft bedside lamp.
• Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool, and your bed is comfortable. Noise, light, and heat can cause sleep problems. Try using a sleep mask to help block out light.
• Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. By not working, watching TV, or using your computer in bed, you’ll come to associate the bedroom with sleep and sex, so when you get into bed your brain and body get a strong signal that it’s time to nod off or be romantic.
• Move bedroom clocks out of view. Anxiously watching the minutes tick by when you can’t sleep is a surefire recipe for insomnia. Light emitted from a clock, telephone or other device can also disrupt your sleep.

Keep a regular bedtime routine for better sleep

• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, even on weekends.
• Block out snoring. If snoring is keeping you up, try earplugs, a white-noise machine, or separate bedrooms.
• Go to bed earlier. Adjust your bedtime to match when you feel like going to bed, even if that’s earlier than it used to be.
• Develop bedtime rituals. A soothing ritual, like taking a bath or playing music will help you wind down. Relaxation and stress management techniques, such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, take some practice but their benefits can be substantial. 
• Limit your use of sleeping aids and sleeping pills. Many sleep aids have side effects and are not meant for long-term use. Although it may be tempting to continue using them, they are crutches that only address the symptoms and not the causes of insomnia. In fact, sleeping pills can often make insomnia worse in the long run. Therefore, it’s best to limit sleeping pills to situations where a person’s health or safety is threatened.
• Combine sex and sleep. Sex and physical intimacy, such as hugging and massage, can lead to restful sleep.

Can napping help with sleep problems?

People are biologically programmed to sleep not only for a long period in the middle of the night but also for a short period in the middle of the day. Naps can enhance visual, motor, and spatial skills, and have even been shown to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease. So, if you don’t feel fully alert during the day, a nap may be just what you need. For many people, taking a brief nap can provide the needed energy to perform fully for the rest of the day. Experiment with napping to see if it helps you.

Some tips for good napping:

• Short – Naps as short as five minutes can improve alertness and certain memory processes. Most people benefit from limiting naps to 15-45 minutes. You may feel groggy and unable to concentrate after a longer nap.
• Early – Nap early in the afternoon. Napping too late in the day may disrupt your nighttime sleep.
• Comfortable – Try to nap in a comfortable environment preferably with limited light and noise.

Source: http://www.helpguide.org