There’s nothing worse than looking forward to a good night’s sleep only to lie awake with the clock ticking beside you. Unfortunately, it’s not only frustrating—it can harm your health too.
Aging can affect the quality of your sleep, so if you’re suddenly noticing your sleep pattern suffering, this might be why. Thankfully, there are many solutions to improving sleep quality as you age.
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How to Improve Sleep Quality as You Age
It’s common to wake up more frequently as you age, whether to use the bathroom more or because your body is aching. You might not even get as much REM sleep as you age, but rest assured that the rest of your life isn’t going to be sleepless nights.
Older adults need the same amount of sleep as younger adults, so use these tips to improve your sleep quality.
Sleep Schedule
It’s essential to go to sleep and wake up at the same time—because your body likes that kind of consistency. So even on weekends and vacations, you should try to continue a regular sleep schedule, which will automatically encourage your body to fall asleep at the same time every night.
As a part of your sleep schedule: don’t nap too much during the day. Taking long naps each day will make it more difficult to fall asleep at night, although you might find that 20-minute naps are fine.
What You Ingest
You might be on a certain medication that affects the quality of your sleep as a side effect. If this is the case, talk to your doctor about whether there’s something you can do to get better rest, or if there’s a medication you can switch to.
You also shouldn’t drink fluids within two hours of bedtime, if only because you want to minimize any trips to the bathroom. Alcohol is something you should especially avoid since it’s more likely to keep you awake.
Speaking of what you drink: don’t drink anything caffeinated four to six hours before you go to bed. Even something like cigarettes can have a stimulating effect if you smoke too close to your bedtime.
At Night
When you’re getting ready to go to bed, begin by keeping your room as dark as possible. Limit lights from the television or computer, avoid looking at your phone, and if you need, use curtains or a sleep mask to prevent any light from seeping in.
You might also try taking 1 or 2 milligrams of melatonin a few hours before bed if you’re having trouble falling asleep. Talk to your doctor about what might work for you. For a more natural fix, try stretching in the morning and at night to ease some aches and pains. This is an activity that should calm you down too.
Not Falling Asleep
If you’re trying to fall asleep and find that you just can’t, give yourself twenty minutes. After twenty minutes of lying awake, get up and move to another room to do another activity that’s relaxing. Something as simple as reading or listening to music until you’re tired again.
You can also do this if you wake in the middle of the night. No matter what, if you are having trouble falling asleep, don’t watch the clock. Thinking about how many hours you have until you wake up will only increase your stress and make it more difficult to sleep.
Conclusion
You don’t need to struggle to fall asleep at night forever, and if you’re finding that you’re having trouble getting your full seven or eight hours, these tips are here to help you. Your sleep quality might worsen with age, but watch what you’re ingesting, do relaxing activities before bed, and remember: don’t watch the clock.
