What is the impact of sleep on the health of older people?
As we all know, good sleep is essential for good health. It helps the body and brain to rest and properly process all the information received to function 100% on a daily basis. However, many older people have difficulty sleeping and this disrupts their general health, sometimes leading to medication that could be avoided.
The importance of sleep in seniors
According to scientists, a person needs between 7 and 8 hours of sleep to be in good shape during the day and not experience any moments of fatigue. However, with age, the sleep cycle changes. Concretely, as the phases of deep sleep decrease, nighttime awakenings are more frequent and the periods of falling asleep lengthen while we go to bed earlier. Several factors contribute to these changes in sleep in the elderly, in particular because of the phenomenon of sedentarization which is linked to retirement, the lack of physical activities or the absence of outings and meetings. In the more or less long term, depending on the personality of the senior, this can lead to anxiety, or even depression, which will lead to insomnia and nighttime awakenings, or on the contrary, to longer but less restorative sleep phases.
Another cause of sleep disturbance in the elderly is the onset of sleep apnea. About 15% of the population, over 70%, will have suffered from this disorder, which is characterized by a pause in breathing lasting 10 to 30 seconds and repeated more than 10 times/hour. This is mainly due to a partial or total obstruction of the airways. As a result, the elderly person wakes up for short moments without realizing it to start breathing again, which causes micro-awakenings and inevitably alters the quality of sleep. If left untreated, sleep apnea in the elderly has many consequences for the elderly, such as depression, diabetes , high blood pressure and cardiovascular accidents. It is understandable why the quality of sleep has a direct impact on their health.
What natural products for better sleep?
To sleep well and maintain quality sleep, especially as you get older, it is above all about adopting a healthy lifestyle, having a varied and healthy diet, not eating too much and avoiding alcohol in the evening and anything that is exciting (coffee, tea, etc.). Being physically active is a plus, because with exposure to natural light, you fill up on vitamin C and your body recharges its batteries. Consuming products such as lemon balm or valerian helps you fall asleep, not to mention the famous chamomile which is consumed in capsules or herbal tea. Finally, practicing a gentle activity such as sophrology or yoga can limit sleep disorders in the elderly.
These sports help to regain confidence in oneself, in one's body, in one's physical abilities, but also to be positive and to let go. Sophrology, for example, facilitates the release of tension and calms the autonomic nervous system. Very quickly, one emerges from these activities in a more relaxed state.
The choice of bedding
Finally, we can never say it enough, but the choice of bedding helps you sleep better. When you get older, habits change. With a good mattress and a specialized bed base, we try to relieve back and neck pain as best we can to maintain a good quality of sleep, relax our muscles and support the spine. Choosing an electric bed is perfect for an elderly person.
This motorized bed base allows the sleeper's torso or legs to be raised in order to adopt the best sleeping position.
