Myths Concerning Aging And Sleep Among Seniors

There are so many misconceptions about aging and sleep among seniors that these are enough to keep one awake throughout the night. Here are the myths concerning aging and sleep that should be busted right away.

Say No To These Myths About Sleep Among Seniors

Seniors need less sleep as they age

The most common myth prevailing among people is that seniors need less sleep as they age. This is not true. As a person becomes an adult and enters senior’s age, their sleep becomes constant as they age. By this, we mean that seniors do require around 7-8 hours of sleep every day irrespective of their age.

8 hours is the standard sleeping hours

You must have heard people saying that everyone requires 8 hours of sleep every day to function properly throughout the day. The truth is that everyone’s sleep needs are different and may vary greatly. For instance, some seniors are satisfied if they sleep 6 hours a day whereas others might need 8 hours of sleep a day. For most people, the ideal sleeping hours are between 7-8.

No change in routine with age

The next myth prevailing among people regarding sleep and aging is that one does not have to make changes in their sleeping routine as one age. There are chances that the sleep needs do not change drastically as you age but the senior’s ability to get sleep at night might. The seniors often face difficulties while sleeping the ideal hours at night because of medications, depression, pain, diseases, or lack of routine.

The seniors can fix this by having a look at their mattress or their daily routine. For instance, if the screen time of seniors is too much, then also they can experience trouble sleeping at night. Also, keep an eye on seniors’ caffeine intake as this also might be responsible for keeping seniors awake at night.

Waking up during the night is not good

Another popular myth you must have heard is that waking up in the middle of the night is deemed as bad. Usually, seniors’ sleep at night is often interrupted by the need to go to the bathroom due to which they need to get up at night. Hardly do people realize that it is normal and not detrimental to a senior’s sleep cycle.

Alcohol at night is a big no

Another myth hovering around aging and sleep is that having alcohol in the evening can hamper seniors’ sleep at night and should be avoided. But this is not right. Consuming alcohol in the evening may make seniors sleep fast but can lead to disrupted and fitful sleep. The experts suggest that a single glass of alcohol at night can help seniors sleep by minimizing arousal.

Playing catch up with sleep is fine

If a senior has less sleep one day, then it is fine to compensate for the lost sleep by sleeping early the next day. The reality is that this can wreak havoc on a senior’s sleep cycle. Even if seniors go early, there is little chance that seniors will be able to sleep early. And if seniors manage to sleep early, then they’ll feel groggy the next morning.