Several lifestyle adjustments can help combat insomnia Sleep patterns naturally change as we age, often leading to sleepless nights for those aged 60 and over. This change can be challenging for several reasons, including fatigue during the day, difficulty concentrating, and increased stress. We all have a body clock in our brain which sets the timing, and is also involved in keeping us asleep As we age, that clock isn’t as accurate as it used to be – which could mean the signal to stay asleep isn’t as strong anymore.” Between 40-60% of women experience sleep disturbances during the menopause transition This is caused by a variety of factors such as estrogen and progesterone loss, hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, frequent trips to the bathroom, anxiety, and aging. Having a regular bedtime and wake-up time is very important,” Lederle emphasizes. “That doesn’t mean it needs to be 10 pm bang on but aim for within an hour or half an hour. Regular exposure to, ideally, natural daylight in the early morning hours helps reset our body clock. “Older people, particularly those in care homes, tend to go outside less, and as we age our eyes and lenses change so less light gets through particularly less If you get outside during the day then when it gets darker there is a stronger contrast. And that’s if there’s a stronger contrast, it’s easier for that aging body clock to notice that there has been a change, whereas, if you’re inside all day, there isn’t much change in brightness level light
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