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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : October 9, 2014 7:19 PM IST
Sleep problems like insomnia being reported among the elderly are more likely because of bad sleep quality and not their duration. Older adults may complain of waking up too early and not feeling rested despite accumulating substantial hours of sleep, said Linda Waite, the Lucy Flower professor in urban sociology at the University of Chicago in the US. The study found discrepancies between self-reported insomnia and outcomes recorded on a sleep-monitoring device.
The actigraph measurements showed that most of the older adults got sufficient amounts of sleep. The actigraph provided data that showed the average duration of sleep period among the study participants was 7.9 hours and the average total sleep time was 7.25 hours This indicates that the majority of older adults are getting the recommended amount of sleep and usually not having common sleep problems, Waite added.
Respondents who reported waking up more frequently during the night had more total sleep time. This suggests that a question about feeling rested may tap into other aspects of older adults' everyday health or psychological experience, Waite noted. Older adults' perception of sleep does not always match what is actually happening when a more objective assessment is used to monitor sleep patterns and behaviours, the study, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, pointed out.
It used data from 727 participants in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project who were randomly invited to participate in an Activity and Sleep Study . Our findings suggest that reports of what seem like specific sleep problems may be due to other issues in their lives affecting their overall well-being, Waite concluded.
What is insomnia?
Insomnia refers to the inability to fall asleep or to have an elongated period of sleep. It is also used to describe unrefreshing or incomplete sleep. Insomnia can either exist as an individual problem or it can be a symptom of an underlying condition (due to drugs or a neurological condition). Various reasons like hormonal changes, physical pain,stress, smoking, junk foods, caffeine, lack of physical activity and irregular sleeping habits can cause insomnia. Insomnia or irregular sleep is linked to the variouslifestyle diseaseslikediabetes,hypertensionandobesity. It often symbolises an awry circadian rhythm (body clock) and is a by-product of our work-play-party at night culture. Setting a regular sleeping hour can help combat insomnia along with physical activity.
How to prevent Insomnia?
Stress, anxiety, depression and bipolar disorders are on the major modern-day causes that can keep you awake through the night. Professional help may be required in such cases. Here are few tips to prevent insomnia and help you sleep better:
Read more about Insomnia causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
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