Eight Easy Ways to Get Better Sleep
As summer temperatures settle in, many of us are more restless in bed. If you’re over 50, sleep is likely not as restorative as it once was, and as most of us know, with age sleep tends to be more problematic (unless you’re my husband who can still sleep like a teenager).
Most of us are fighting to get more sleep and yet sleeping seems to be the healthy living effort that falls off the map. I know many people who are meticulous in taking excellent care of other aspects of their health but still never get enough sleep.
Women in mid to later life have a unique set of circumstances hampering their ability to get restful sleep; overall, women have more sleep problems than men, and symptoms during menopause can make sleep worse.
In fact, about 30% of the general population have trouble with sleeping but this number skyrockets to 50% in peri and postmenopausal women. Changes in estrogen impact both the normal sleep cycle and natural melatonin release, while physiological changes related to aging shorten the sleep cycle and contribute to the likelihood of early morning waking.
Issues that can further impact sleep quality are our health habits (being regularly physically active helps, while alcohol and tobacco can interfere with sleep), physical health (i.e., managing a chronic health condition), and psychosocial health (typically lower sleep quality occurs for those dealing with anxiety or depression).[1] Modern women have the added sleep issue of electronic use before bedtime and/or screens in the bedroom.
Having a regular schedule seems to help regulate sleep patterns. In my decade working in vocational rehab, I rarely saw folks who weren’t struggling with a sleep disorder. Many of the patients spent a great deal of time isolated at home with schedules dictated by their health conditions – this always leads me to wonder if the change from a regular work schedule (i.e., retirement) may also have the same sort of impact.
Why is sleep important to health?
Sleep is so important for many different functions in the body. When our sleep issues become chronic, we are at higher risk for increased inflammation, problems associated with weight-gain, increased sensitivity to pain, fatigue, and reduced cognitive and physical performance.[2]
The benefits of better sleep
Conversely, some of the ways that improving your sleep can benefit your overall health are by:
- helping to maintain your immune system,
- helping to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease,
- contributing to a healthy metabolism and body weight,
- contributing to better neurological functioning and potentially reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s disease,[3]
- improving motor tasks, particularly driving, and
- playing an important role in stress management and good mental health.
All these reasons add up to a solid argument for including better sleep in your healthy living plan, but I understand that poor sleep quality is frustrating and can sometimes feel like improvements are not possible. One of the best methods for change is to adopt a sleep “hygiene” routine. Good sleep hygiene is not about cleanliness, but instead is about establishing regular routines and habits around your sleep cycle.
How to improve your sleep routine
Below are eight methods that can help to improve your overall sleep. I would not only suggest that you try some of the ideas I’ve listed but would also urge you to stick with your new sleep routine for at least a couple of weeks.
This list of sleep hygiene techniques is supported by evidence, but if your sleep problems persist, I would also encourage you to talk to your doctor.
1. Let there be light: Light is the best tool for reigning in your internal clock. When you wake up, and throughout the day, seek out bright light. As you wind down for bed (up to three hours before) lower the light in rooms and from electronics. Ditch the phone at night wherever possible.
2. Stay active: People who are regularly physically active have better sleep quality, and this includes post-menopausal women. As always, exercise = an essential medicine for so many health conditions.
3. Sleep tight: Create a sleep “cave”— keep your bedroom quiet, cool, and dark. The body cools as the sleep cycle begins, so reducing the temperature in your room can aid you in falling asleep.
4. Condition yourself into better sleep: If you can, go to bed and wake at the same time each day. I know this is boring, but it works. The main key here is the consistent wake-up time. Also, creating a ritual at bedtime helps your brain to realize that it’s time to go to bed. This leads me to my next point…
5. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex: Do you have a multipurpose bedroom (think laptop, phone, or TV)? All those distractions are things that you do during (and in turn are associated with) waking hours – pull out your phone or laptop and your brain thinks that it’s party time rather than time for sleep. You are better off to banish the electronics to a room that you use during the day – your sleep will thank you for it.
6. Watch what you ingest before bed: Most of know to avoid caffeine at least six hours before bedtime, but nicotine is also a stimulant and should be avoided before bed (or even better, eliminated completely). Alcohol will help you to fall asleep but then can wake you up again mid-sleep cycle. Excess food before bed can cause mild reflux, which also can wake you up and impact your quality of sleep.
7. Get out of bed if you aren’t sleeping: This is a tough one but is a method that seems to be well-supported by evidence. If you are in bed but haven’t fallen asleep in 20-30 minutes, get out of bed and go and sit elsewhere in low light until you feel sleepy (no phones, TV, or other electronics allowed).
A psychologist that I used to work with would take it one step further; his advice was to keep a pen and paper nearby to write down all your ruminating thoughts in a list. The idea of the list-making exercise is that your brain will eventually get bored and in the nights following, will work harder to keep you in bed.
8. Be patient: Sleep is elusive for many of us but using a few simple sleep hygiene strategies can make a difference in both sleep quality and quantity. The trick is consistency and patience. Like other healthy living interventions, changes won’t happen overnight, but they will happen if you consistently implement them.
I hope some of these ideas help you to get some more restful and restorative nights of sleep. And, as always, so many thanks for reading and following the Age Sister blog. I would also encourage you to join our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/agesister/ for more healthy aging content and information.
Your sister in health,
Author
