As we age, the body takes a beating. The older we get, the more likely our bodies will suffer from wear and tear—especially when it comes to sleep. Sleep disorders are pervasive in aging family members because of changes in metabolism and other factors like medical conditions and medications. Senior living in Dentoh, TX can help residents with sleep disorders by offering resources that promote healthy aging and preventative care.
What Is A Sleep Disorder?
A sleep disorder is a medical condition that disrupts your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or both. A person with a sleep disorder may have trouble falling asleep, wake up frequently, or experience excessive daytime sleepiness.
Sleep Disorders Can Be Classified As:
- Circadian Rhythm Disorders include jet lag, shift work, and delayed phase syndrome (DSPS). They involve disruptions in the body’s internal clock that regulate our daily rhythms, such as eating and sleeping patterns.
- Dyssomnias – These are characterized by difficulty getting comfortable when trying to fall asleep; waking up frequently during the night; feeling unrefreshed after waking up; having trouble falling back asleep after waking up early or not feeling rested despite getting enough hours of sleep each night
- Parasomnias – These involve abnormal movements while sleeping, like twitching limbs or grinding teeth; abnormal dreams involve violent behavior while dreaming, such as punching someone in their dream state.
What Are The Possible Causes Of Sleep Disorders In The Elderly?
Sleep disorders are more likely to occur in the elderly. This is because they’re more likely to have other health problems that can affect their sleep and make it difficult for them to get a good night’s rest. For example, some medications and pain relievers can cause excessive drowsiness or insomnia if taken at certain times of the day (such as sleeping pills taken at bedtime). Other common causes include physical problems such as arthritis, cancer treatment-related fatigue, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and stroke-related immobility; mental health issues such as depression or anxiety disorders; environmental factors like noise level in your home environment outside your bedroom door while trying to sleep which causes stress hormones released into the bloodstream due to lack of control over external conditions affecting quality rest time needed per day.
How Are Seniors Affected By Sleep Disorders?
Sleep deprivation can lead to daytime fatigue and make it hard for aging adults with these conditions to perform daily tasks like driving or cooking meals. It also affects memory and concentration skills because the brain needs more rest than younger adults. Aging adults may also experience mood swings if they’re not getting enough sleep due to their disorder(s).
How Senior Living Communities Can Help
- Senior-friendly independent living communitiescan help with sleep disorders in the elderly in several ways. The first is providing a safe environment where residents can get the rest they need, free from any disturbances or interruptions.
- Second, they provide 24-hour care that allows team members to monitor the health of their residents and ensure they are getting proper nutrition and exercise (both critical for good sleep).
- Thirdly, many senior-friendly independent living communities offer programs that promote healthy living habits, like stretching exercises before bedtime and activities like meditation classes to help aged loved ones relax their minds before going to sleep at night.
Conclusion
If you think your loved one might have a sleep disorder, it’s essential to get them checked out by a doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you can identify and treat these conditions, your loved one will be better off.
