Can't Sleep? How the Circadian Rhythm changes with age
- Soumya Khadye
- May 25, 2024
- 2 min read
As with most things in life, the way we sleep changes with time. This is because our circadian rhythms - the body's physical and mental processes in a day - are altered. Natural bodily aches, pains, snoring, and breathing difficulties in the elderly also contribute to waking frequently at night. Because of these changes, as we get older, we spend less time in deeper stages of sleep, such as N3 of the REM cycle.
So what does this mean for you? Well, you may have noticed that compared to when you were a stressed teenager, your waking hours have differed significantly. Elderly sleeping cycles consist of sleeping early in the evening and rising at dawn. However, this is not something to be worried about, in fact, it is perfectly normal to have an earlier sleep cycle. The problem arises when other factors, like stress or drinking frequently transform this short cycle to sleep disorders, which can be degenerative in the elderly. Insomnia can be caused due to to psychological stress or become a side effect as a result of other conditions, like restless leg syndrome (this is the urge to move the legs so much so that it frequently disrupts sleep). Additionally, the elderly can be especially susceptible to sleep apnea with increased breathing difficulties, which in turn puts them at risk for cardiovascular diseases. Unlike younger generations, it can be hard to recover from the effects of sleep disruptions.
There is not a quick fix for maintaining a healthy sleep cycle, but there are some things you can do to reduce unnecessary stress on your body.
Keep a regular bedtime routine - this will establish a set circadian rhythm in your body and naturally lead you to sleep normally.
Keep naps short - sleeping in the afternoon can affect how you long you sleep at night.
Maintain a healthy diet - remove caffeine and alcohol from your regular diet, as they can be agitating. Also try to limit unnecessary sugar.
Remove stressors - if you are experiencing any mental stress, try to alleviate it as soon as possible. If you don't know where to start, try talking with a friend or family member to seek out solutions together.
Meditate - practicing breathing exercises or taking some time to calm down can greatly reduce restlessness at night!
Links:
A nice n compact insight. The frequent travelers as well as the airline crew and ground staff, routinely advised to take time out to balance/ adjust circadian rhythm. Of course they should also avoid agitators but take naps,etc! Younger generation however tends to ignore such a rhythm in their excitement about games and other digital activities.