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How Sleep Changes? . Before
examining how sleep changes with age, it's necessary to understand the
basic sleep stages. Normal sleep consists of two major states: REM (Rapid
Eye Movement) sleep and NREM (nonREM) sleep. NREM sleep is divided further
into four sleep stages, numbered stage 1, 2, 3 and 4. Sleep typically
begins with stage 1 before progressing into the later stages. Sleep
deepens with each stage achieved; stages 3 and 4 (also called delta sleep)
provide our bodies' deepest sleep. Our fifth stage is REM sleep, where
dreaming occurs. .What
Do Sleep Stages Have to do with Sleeping Well?
In
general, changes in one's sleep architecture or stages affect how deep
sleep is. Middle-aged and elderly people tend to spend less time in deeper
sleep than younger people. By age 60 or 70, many adults experience a
decrease in the proportion of time spent in delta sleep. This is
particularly true for elderly men. However, the percentage of REM sleep
remains relatively stable. In
late adulthood, the first REM sleep periods come faster than in earlier
years. Are the kinds of dreams experienced different? Some research
suggests that older men tend to have more passive, inner-directed dreams,
while older women tend to dream more active, outgoing dreams. .Are
You Sleeping More, But Enjoying It Less?
Interestingly,
the average total sleep time increases slightly after age 65. But
so do reports of difficulty falling asleep. One study found that after 65,
13 percent of men and 36 percent of women reported taking more than 30
minutes to fall asleep. What
causes this difficulty? Research suggests that physiological and
lifestyle changes are at fault. The elderly generally secrete
lesser amounts of certain chemicals that regulate the sleep/wake cycle.
Both melatonin (a substance produced by the pineal gland that promotes
sleep) and growth hormone production decrease with age. There are also
changes in the body temperature cycle which occur with age. These
factors may cause, or be a consequence of, sleep problems. In addition, a
decrease in exposure to natural light and a change in diet may exacerbate
sleep difficulties. Some researchers theorize that daytime inactivity
(lack of exercise) and decreased mental stimulation may also lead to the
"aging" of sleep. Falling
asleep isn't the only difficulty older people may face at night. Sleep
also becomes more shallow, fragmented and variable
in duration with age. The elderly wake more frequently than younger
adults. Recent research suggests that the aging bladder can contribute
to a substantial degree of sleep disturbance in the elderly. A
tendency to feel sleepier during the day than when younger results from
these increased nocturnal awakenings. It's
important to remember that many healthy elderly individuals have no or few
sleep problems. Persistent
Trouble Falling Asleep at Night or Frequent Drowsing By Day is Not Normal
or Inevitable with Age.
Sometimes,
age-related changes mask underlying sleep disorders. For example, sleep
apnea, a breathing disorder, is more common in the middle and elder years.
The repeated awakenings caused by a literal lack of breath lead to daytime
sleepiness. . How to tell whether daytime drowsiness is a result of a sleep disorder, sleep deficit or depression? By
consulting a sleep specialist, who is skilled in diagnosing the problem
and treating both symptom and cause. Many
older people consider poor sleep not worth complaining about and as
inevitable and constant as death and taxes. Actually, there are many things you can do about poor sleep, and there are many reasons to do something about sleep! This
article on sleep & others can be found at . |
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