Do you have trouble sleeping? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone. Difficulty sleeping, or adult insomnia, is one of the complaints doctors hear most from older patients. So what is it, and what can be done about it?
When people talk about insomnia, they can mean anything from a one-time sleepless night to a chronic condition. And the truth is that anyone, at any age, can have a restless night with little sleep. Chronic insomnia, though, becomes a lot more common the older you get.
Insomnia still doesn’t mean an entire night without sleep. It can mean having trouble falling asleep, falling asleep fine but waking up continuously throughout the night, waking up too early or sleeping fitfully. Whichever it is, the end result is more or less the same: Come morning and you feel anything but rested and full of energy to greet a new day.
Thankfully, there’s a lot you can do to improve your sleep.
(Don’t) Take One Pill and…
Sure there’s a lot I can do, you might be thinking. I can start with sleeping pills!
Not so fast.
While any discussion of sleeping pills and medication must take place with your personal physician, they should still be your last resort when talking about relieving adult insomnia. That’s because meds have side effects – both short and long-term – that you really, really want to avoid. You can also develop both a dependence on them and a tolerance for them, so that you’ll eventually need a larger dose to achieve the same results. And they increase the risk of falling. Bad news.
The good news is that there’s something called sleep hygiene.
Sleep Hygiene and Adult Insomnia
Sleep hygiene is a fancy word for good sleep habits. By achieving it, you can create an environment and a routine that will optimize your chances at getting quality shut-eye. Today we’re going to talk about what you can do just before and during bedtime.
1. Lights. Bright light can confuse your body into thinking it’s still daytime. As a result, your brain won’t release the melatonin you need to fall asleep. Try to dim the lights, or turn off larger, brighter fixtures and keep softer, lower lights like lamps and nightlights on.
2. De-screen. Turn off your computer, smartphone and any other digital devices an hour before you go to sleep. The bright lights of the screen keep your brain up and awake.
3. Relax. Do some relaxation exercises and take a warm shower or bath before you get ready for bed. Put on some soft, soothing music to make your environment calm, soothing, and relaxing.
4. Comfort. Make sure your room is dark, cool and quiet. and that your mattress is comfortable. If it isn’t, it might be time for a new one. If you live in an assisted living community, ask the staff to help you with whatever you need to make your bedroom conducive to sleep.
5. Timing. Try to go sleep at approximately the same time each night. Before you get into bed, turn your clock around so that if you do wake up at night, you won’t see the time.
Do you have any great tips for beating adult insomnia? Please let us know in the comments below!