Path to improved health
Older adults often see their sleep-wake cycle change. This can be caused by many different factors, including:
- Your body’s chemicals and hormones. For example, as you age, your body produces less melatonin. This is the natural hormone that regulates your sleep cycle.
- Lifestyle habits. These include smoking and drinking alcohol or caffeine.
- Certain medicines including antidepressants, beta-blockers, and cardiovascular drugs.
- Dealing with pain.
- Diabetes and prostate issues can contribute to sleep disturbance and make you fatigued as you wake up multiple times to urinate.
- Congestive heart failure or kidney disease. You may have trouble lying flat and getting comfortable enough to fall asleep.
If you find yourself sleeping in a recliner or waking up many times throughout the night, it is important to talk to your doctor. He or she can make sure underlying health problems aren’t causing your sleep issues.
Sleep apnea
One common sleeping disorder is sleep apnea. It causes a person’s breathing to abnormally stop and start, while sleeping. People who have sleep apnea often snore loudly. You stop breathing for 10 to 30 seconds at a time. When you start breathing again, you gasp or snort, which can wake you up. This can occur hundreds of times in a single night. Each time you wake up, it disrupts your sleeping pattern. It can be harmful if you stop breathing for too long. It also can cause high blood pressure and increase your risk of a heart attack.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS)
RLS is a condition in which you have leg pain or discomfort. It occurs when you are sitting or lying down. It can feel like your legs won’t be still. RLS can make it hard for you to sleep.
Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD)
PLMD is a condition in which you kick your legs while you sleep. Most of the time, you don’t know you’re kicking. If you have a bed partner, they may tell you about it. PLMD can prevent good sleep and cause daytime fatigue. Some people may have RLS and PLMD.