Disturbed Sleep

Improving sleep quality

August 2008 - Research from the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology published in Sleep found that practising tai chi chih, the western version of an ancient Chinese martial art, helped improve sleep quality in older adults. It has previously been shown to be effective in reducing tension headaches and high blood pressure and in boosting the immune system of elderly people with shingles.

Researchers explain that 58 per cent of adults age 59 and older report difficulties in sleeping. The majority (85 per cent) do not seek treatment. The remainder tend to rely on costly, sometimes inaccessible behavioral therapies or more commonly on sedatives with possible side-effects. Poor sleep is associated with significant health problems in this age group.

Lead author Michael Irwin, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences commented:

"It's not uncommon for older adults to experience daytime confusion, drowsiness, falls and fractures, and adverse interactions with other medications they may be taking."

Michael Irwin concluded:

"It's a form of exercise virtually every elderly person can do, and this study provides more across-the-board evidence of its health benefits."

Daytime napping and disturbed sleep

Poor sleep can lead to problems, and these are more likely for older adults. Such problems include:

• depressed mood, attention and memory problems
• daytime sleepiness
• night-time falls, and
• more use of over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids

Recent studies have also associated a lack of sleep with a number of serious health problems such as increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Most people need seven to eight hours of sleep a night to be at our best the next day but as we age we may find this harder to obtain. Some advice for improving sleep patterns:

• Establish a routine sleep schedule.
• Avoid using your bed for anything but sleep or intimacy.
• Avoid substances like alcohol or caffeine that disturb sleep,
• Avoid napping during the day. If you have to nap, limit napping to less than one hour and no later than 3 p.m.
• Stick to rituals that relax you before bed such as a warm bath, a light snack or a few minutes of reading.
• Try not to take your worries to bed (perhaps easier said than done).
• When you can't fall asleep, leave the bedroom and engage in a quiet activity. Go back to bed only when you are tired.
• Keep the bedroom dark, quiet and cool - but not too cold.

Midday Siesta a Napping Good Idea

Researchers comment that siesta is a common habit in many parts of the world, including the Mediterranean and Central America but previous studies into the association with reduced coronary mortality have produced conflicting results The current research is the first large prospective study of individuals who were healthy when recruited and that controlled in detail for other risk factors.

The researchers also comment:

"We interpret our findings as indicating that among healthy adults, siesta, possibly on account of stress-releasing consequences, may reduce coronary mortality. The fact that the association was stronger in working men, who likely face job-related stress, than non-working men is compatible with this hypothesis."

Dimitrios Trichopoulos added:

"The public health message is clear-if you can take a midday nap, do so."

http://www.psyarticles.com/sleep/nap.htm