Sleep Deprivation a Real Issue for Seniors

Sleep is such an important element to our day that when we sleep poorly or not at all the rest of our lives are profoundly impacted. For seniors, sleep is of even greater importance because it helps boost an already weakening immune system, it fights off cognitive decline, and can even improve longevity. What are the other issues associated with sleep deprivation in seniors?

• Alzheimer’s patients need regular sleep. But, they rarely get it. Many Alzheimer’s patients tend to sleep during the day and lie awake at night. This can be caused by the impairment itself and/or with the natural disruption of the body’s natural circadian rhythm that accompanies aging. Sleep impairments can cause sundowning, daytime wandering, nighttime wandering, etc.
  
• Caregivers need as much sleep as their charges. While it falls on the caregivers shoulders to get up in the middle of the night with their senior clients as many times as necessary, this can easily cause depression, fatigue, anxiety and other problems in the senior’s caregiver. It’s important to – as much as possible – take on healthy habits and attitudes to try and achieve proper night time sleep routines for everyone’s mental and physical well-being.
  
• Insomnia can cause an increase in risk of dementia. Since seniors already run a higher risk of having insomnia, it also means that this insomnia can lead to dementia and other memory impairments and cognitive dysfunction. Memory is impaired with lack of sleep, and stress levels increase dramatically which puts the individual at a higher risk for developing a host of other diseases.

If you are a senior with frequent insomnia or a caregiver with a senior client with sleep deprivation problems, talk to your doctor about how you can try to remedy the problem or at least improve it. Sleep issues are a natural part of aging, but they don’t have to overwhelm the individuals – or their caretakers – life.

Seniors who live in the Birmingham area who are interested in learning about home care assistance in Birmingham can contact the Always Best Care Birmingham office at 205-874-9730 to schedule a free consultation. During this consultation a professional care coordinator will discuss in home care in Birmingham to help you decide which level of care is right for you.