Insomnia and Age

Insomnia and Age

Daylight Saving Time or “summer time” is the practice of advancing clocks one hour so light extends well into the evening. A small shift in time can have a large impact on the body clock and health, and the time change can cause sleepiness and fatigue. For a young, healthy individual, a one-hour difference can make a small impact. But the impact becomes more significant with age. Individuals with pre-existing sleep conditions such as insomnia or sleep apnea might have an even more difficult time adjusting. More than half of adults age 60 and older suffer from insomnia.

What is insomnia?

A person suffering from insomnia has difficulty getting to sleep and wakes up often throughout the night. If you have insomnia, you may experience the following symptoms:

· Taking more than 30-45 minutes to fall asleep

· Waking up frequently throughout the night

· Waking up early and being unable to fall back asleep

· Waking up feeling tired and unable to function well during the day

Insomnia is considered chronic if symptoms last longer than one month. Seek medical advice if symptoms last one month or longer.

What is short-term insomnia?

Short-term insomnia, lasting less than one month, may result from a medical or psychiatric condition. Insomnia can also occur after a personal change like losing a loved one, relocating, financial worries, or being hospitalized. If you or a loved one has trouble resetting the internal body clock or suffers from short-term insomnia, lifestyle changes may help. Try these lifestyle changes to help relieve short-term insomnia:

· Avoid substances that worsen insomnia symptoms, including caffeine, alcohol and some over-the-counter and prescription medicines.

· Adopt bedtime habits that make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Reading, soaking in a warm bath and watching the evening news can help relax the body and mind and ease insomnia symptoms.

· Create a bedroom that is sleep friendly. The room should be dark, well ventilated and as quiet as possible.

· Try going to sleep around the same time each night and wake up around the same time each morning.

MediNurse, St. Louis’ premier provider of private duty nursing, offers care services that are customized to the individual needs and expectations of the client, patient and loved ones to ensure the best care possible. For more information, call us at 314-781-2800 or visit www.medinurse.com.