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August 13, 2007Grandparents, Older Adults Encouraged to Seek Help for a Sleep Disorder |
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From South Florida Sleep Diagnostic Center: September 9th is National Grandparents Day, a day to honor grandparents across America as important members of our families and communities. While older adults need about seven to eight hours of sleep each night, many often get less sleep, which may make them more susceptible to health problems. "As we get older, our sleep is more easily disturbed," says James P. Krainson, MD, of the South Florida Sleep Diagnostic Center in Miami and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Cardiovascular, neurologic, urologic and psychologic disturbances can likewise play havoc with our sleep. Many older adults often have more trouble falling asleep than persons in other age groups. A study of adults over the age of 65 found that 13 percent of men and 36 percent of women take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. There are many other possible explanations for changes in older adults' sleep patterns, says Dr. Krainson. Regular aerobic exercise, combined with sleep hygiene education, improves sleep and quality of life in older adults with chronic insomnia. A sleep-related breathing disorder may be associated with impairments in cognitive function in older men. While associations between insomnia and separated, divorced or widowed marital status were strongest in younger age groups, longer bouts with insomnia were more common in the older population, who are also more likely to be taking types of sedatives that have particular problems with addiction and side effects. Those who have trouble sleeping are advised to see a sleep specialist at a facility accredited by the AASM.
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