Worries or a depressed mood may make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.Įnlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH). These are some of the most common in older age:Īnxiety or depression. Many chronic health problems can throw a monkey wrench into a sound sleep. Bertisch recommends asking your doctor if your medication might be the culprit and if there's a different time of day to take it or another drug that won't interfere with your sleep. Examples includeīeta blockers to treat high blood pressureĬorticosteroids to treat inflammation or asthmaĭr. Some medications can cause nighttime waking. Bertisch says changing these habits can help reduce disrupted sleep, sometimes quickly. Go light on caffeine-containing foods and drinks beyond the early afternoon.ĭr. Caffeine (in coffee, tea, and sodas) blocks a brain chemical called adenosine that helps you sleep. Long naps in the afternoon or later make it harder to stay asleep at night.Ĭonsuming too much caffeine.
#HOW CAN I GET SURVIVE THE NIGHTS FULL#
Lying down with a full stomach can promote heartburn, which makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. A nightcap may help you fall asleep, but it also can interrupt sleep later in the night, and can also cause more trips to the bathroom.Įating within a few hours of bedtime. One of the common causes of disrupted sleep is lifestyle, including any of the following habits:ĭrinking alcohol within four hours of bedtime. is the start of your 'biologic' night, then your natural wake time may be around 4 a.m.," Dr. "Your circadian rhythm, or sleep-wake cycle, may dramatically shift when you're older, causing you to get sleepy earlier. But that often reflects your schedule for sleeping and waking, not disrupted sleep. Sometimes older adults find they wake early in the morning, when they feel they should be sleeping. Suzanne Bertisch, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "We see more interrupted sleep in older adults, although you shouldn't automatically blame frequent waking on your age," says Dr. That makes it important to figure out what's interrupting your sleep.
In the long term, inadequate sleep increases your risk for obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and even premature death. A lack of Zs makes it harder to think and easier to become irritated and anxious.
But it's a different story when sleep is frequently interrupted. The world looks sunny after a great night's rest. Unhealthy habits and underlying conditions contribute to interrupted sleep.