There are many reasons why older
people may not get enough sleep at night.
Feeling sick or being in pain can make
it hard to sleep. Napping during the day
can disrupt sleep at night. Some medicines
can keep you awake. No matter the reason,
if you don’t get a good night’s sleep, the
next day you may:
F Be irritable
F Have memory problems or be forgetful
F Feel depressed
F Have more falls or accidents
F Feel very sleepy during the day
Insomnia
Insomnia is the most common sleep
problem in adults age 60 and older. People
with insomnia have trouble falling asleep
and staying asleep. Insomnia can last for
days, months, or even years. If you’re
having trouble sleeping, you may:
F Take a long time to fall asleep
F Wake up many times in the night
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F Wake up early and be unable to get
back to sleep
F Wake up tired
F Feel very sleepy during the day
There are many causes of insomnia.
Some of them you can control, but others
you can’t. For example, if you are excited
about a new activity or worrying over your
bills, you may have trouble sleeping.
Sometimes insomnia may be a sign of
other problems. Or, it could be a side
effect of a medication or an illness.
Often, being unable to sleep becomes
a habit. Some people worry about not
sleeping even before they get into bed.
This may even make insomnia worse.
Some older adults who have trouble
sleeping may use over-the-counter sleep
aids. Using prescription medicines for a
short time might help. But remember,
medicines aren’t a cure for insomnia.
Developing healthy habits at bedtime
may help you get a good night’s sleep