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Sweet dreams are made of this

by Simone McClenaughan | 13 Sep 2015

 

Getting a decent amount of shut-eye is a lot easier said than done, but it’s one of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as you get older. Here’s how to develop better sleeping habits and rest easier at night. By Simone McClenaughan

We spend a third of our lives sleeping, and yet 18 per cent of Australians don’t make it a priority. That’s troubling, considering just what a large role sleep plays in our health, wellness and lifespan.

“Sleep is like food, water and oxygen – we simply need to have it to survive,” says Dr Ronald McCoy from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. “You need to give sleep the respect it deserves.”

Unfortunately, 1.6 million Australians have trouble sleeping. Dr McCoy says 55-year-olds actually need the same amount of sleep as 25-year-olds – a solid seven and a half to eight hours of quality sleep a night.

“Generally, your sleep patterns tend to be naturally stable from your 20s through to your 60s,” explains Professor David Hillman, sleep physician and Chair of the Sleep Health Foundation. “However, beyond that, as we age, our sleep decreases in quality and the prevalence of sleep problems increase.”

Interestingly, when people get older and retire, they tend to change their sleep patterns.

“This is because their sleep is no longer dictated by work environments, meaning that in many cases, previous early risers now sleep in a little, or even go to bed a bit later,” explains Dr McCoy.

Professor Hillman adds: “Most people aged 30 to 55 don’t prioritise sleep – they think they’re too busy for it, but come retirement, they feel like they have the time for it.”

Red flags for poor sleep

If you’re not getting enough shut-eye each night, there are a number of signs to alert you – and those around you – to the fact. They include:

•           Poor moods;

•           Impaired judgement;

•           Being cranky;

•           Poor memory;

•           Blood shot eyes and dark circles under the eyes;

•           Lack of clear thinking;

•           Slower reaction times;

•           Poor eating;

•           Being sleepy in the middle of the day;

•           Loss of empathy;

•           Poor coordination; and

•           Irritability.

Causes of poor sleep

“Lack of sleep can cause health problems, but at the same time, certain health problems can cause lack of sleep,” reveals Dr McCoy.

For example, Parkinson’s disease, asthma, depression, stress, reflux, restless leg syndrome, chronic pain, incontinence, dementia and sleep apnoea are all conditions that affect sleep quality.  

“Seeing your doctor can help find and treat the underlying causes of poor sleep,” says Dr McCoy. Professor Hillman assures us that “there is no sleep problem without a good solution.”

Why you need sleep

“People who have regular, good quality sleep have better overall health than those who don’t,” says Dr McCoy. “Sleep restores your physical and mental wellbeing, leaving your mind refreshed and your body repaired.”

Your brain needs to switch off each night to recuperate.

“Poor sleep means you and your brain will be operating at sub-par levels during the day,” says Professor Hillman.

This is important as poor sleep has been found to be the cause of 9.1 per cent of work-related injuries and 7.6 per cent of car accidents.

The other thing you need to be aware of as you age is the relationship between falling and sleep.

“Sleeping well reduces your risk of falls and injury, and that’s important as you age,” says Dr McCoy.

Sleep is also related to weight. Research has found that people getting eight-and-a-half hours of sleep a night lost almost twice as much weight as people only sleeping five hours each night. Furthermore, people with poor sleep habits gain more weight than people who sleep well. One of the main reasons that weight is affected so much is that your eating habits change when you’re tired. American research found that your energy intake increases by about five per cent after a bad night’s sleep.

“We know that poor sleep leads to poor food choices,” says Professor Hillman.

Connected to weight is sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea is a condition where the throat is obstructed, often due to being overweight, and this causes you to stop breathing completely a few times a night. Weight loss can result in a reduction in the incidence of sleep apnoea.

Getting enough shut-eye each night can reduce your risk of heart disease. When you eat well, exercise, drink moderately and don’t smoke, your risk of developing heart disease is 57 per cent lower than those who don’t do those things. Add sleep to this equation and that risk reduction jumps to 65 per cent. But it’s not just your heart that is affected by your sleep habits.

“Poor sleep is related to a higher risk of chronic health issues such as diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and depression,” explains Professor Hillman.

“Long-term short sleepers have an overall increased mortality rate.”

7 tips for a good rest

1. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning.

2. Get eight hours of sleep a night.

3. Avoid daytime naps.

4. Ditch cigarettes as they can keep you awake.

5. Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake before bed.

6. Exercise regularly outside as the light, movement and fresh air assists with sleep.

7.Invest in good sheets, mattresses and pillows.