Feeling Sleepy?

 

Are you tired? If you answered “yes”, you are not alone, most adults in North America report are.  Some of us have a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep, while some of us do too much and “don’t have enough time” to sleep as much as we need to.

 

 

Fatigue interferes with attention, which makes remembering more difficult.  When you are really tired, all you are probably thinking about is how much you want to take a nap, you are likely not completely focused on what people are saying, or what you are reading. Without paying close attention, remembering something later on will be quite a challenge!

 

Getting enough sleep may be particularly difficult for older adults. Physiological changes that are part of the aging process can result in urinary frequency in both men and women. This results in disruption of sleep because we are busy getting up to go to the bathroom. In addition, older adults tend to take more medications that have the side effect of disrupting sleep. The old adage that we need less sleep as we get older is false. Rather, as we get older, sleep is more difficult to get!

 

 

Some suggestions for getting more Zzzzs:

 

·        Try to establish a regular bedtime.

·        Avoid strenuous exercise in the evening (which tends to pump you up).

·        Practice a relaxing ritual before bed, like deep breathing, or taking a warm bath.

·        Reserve your bed for sleep, not for doing busy activities like watching tv and talking on the phone.

·        If sleep problems persist, talk to your doctor.

 

 

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