How Many Hours of Sleep Do Seniors in Broward County Need?

By Silver Sitters

It can get exhausting for seniors in Broward County to deal with restlessness and wandering especially for the seniors aged 65 or above. No one enjoys tossing and turning throughout the night, not even seniors. 

As seniors age, their sleep patterns change. There are times when seniors may fall asleep even during the day. 

Consequently, let us understand the hours seniors in Broward County should sleep and how aging affects sleep in this blog. 

Hours of Sleep Seniors in Broward County Require

The research conducted on seniors reveals that seniors in Broward County need at least seven or eight hours of quality sleep a day. The amount of sleep seniors need is the same as it is for adults aged 18 years or more. 

Having a sound sleep for around eight hours a day does not make seniors feel tired. Instead, seniors tend to feel active and energized throughout the day. However, most of the elderly struggle to get this much sleep because of health issues or other reasons. 

How Aging Affects Seniors’ Sleep?

Seniors in Broward County often experience negative changes in their sleep quality. These negative changes might be due to changes in the body’s internal clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). 

Seniors’ daily routines are heavily influenced by circadian rhythms. Likewise, when the SCN’s function deteriorates, circadian rhythms get disturbed which in turn directly affects when seniors feel alert and tired. 

Suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCNs) play a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms by processing light information received from the eyes. However, many older adults, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and residents of nursing homes, often suffer from insufficient daylight exposure, averaging only about an hour a day. 

This lack of light can disrupt their circadian rhythms. Additionally, aging is associated with changes in hormone production, notably a decrease in melatonin secretion. 

Melatonin is vital for promoting sleep and coordinating circadian rhythms, and its reduced secretion with age further impacts the circadian rhythm, leading to sleep disturbances in older adults.

Tips To Promote Sleep Among Seniors in Broward County

Prevent trips or falls

A fall in the home can pose a significant risk to seniors in Broward County. If the senior’s bedroom has potential hazards, make sure to remove obstacles from there to promote safe sleep among the elderly. 

Use sleeping pills wisely

The physicians usually recommend sleeping pills for short-term use, not for long-term use. So, giving sleeping pills to seniors might not be a wise decision as it causes confusion or balance problems among seniors.