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The importance of better sleep.

Quality sleep is increasingly important for our overall health and well-being as we age and it’s particularly important when going through a life transition such as relocating.

Research shows adequate sleep can extend your lifespan and improve the quality of our later years. A lack of proper sleep has also been linked to chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression, and even dementia.

To ensure better sleep, incorporating simple habits into your daily routine is key. Here are eight easy habits to help you achieve a restful night’s sleep from senior relocation company Caring Transitions:

  1. Get Sunlight Exposure: Spend a few minutes in natural light daily to regulate your body’s rhythms.
  2. Eat Lightly: Choose lighter meals in the evening to aid digestion and consider melatonin-rich snacks like cherries or nuts for a pre-bedtime snack.
  3. Establish Evening Rituals: Wind down with calming activities such as meditation or herbal tea, avoiding alcohol which can disrupt sleep.
  4. Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Aim for regular sleep and wake times to regulate your internal clock.
  5. Limit Screen Time: Power down electronic devices at least two hours before bedtime to reduce exposure to blue light. Reduce the urge to check your phone before bed.
  6. Exercise Early: Engage in physical activity earlier in the day to promote relaxation in the evening. Take a walk in the morning.
  7. Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Keep your bedroom dark and maintain a comfortable temperature for optimal sleep conditions.
  8. Consider Napping: If you miss out on sleep, opt for a nap rather than altering your bedtime.

>>Click here to read more from Caring Transitions of Northeast Atlanta including how they can help reduce stress when your family needs to downsize, pack and move.

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Why seniors should pass on sleeping pills

Want to feel good, be alert, fight off disease — you must get enough sleep which is a challenge for many, particularly as we age. The numbers of people taking sleep aids to get enough rest is on the rise with AARP saying 12% of those 65 and older are taking medications to help them sleep. It’s a routine that can have dangerous consequences.

Perhaps most notably is that medications causing drowsiness put seniors at risk for falls. Even at night, when many get up to use the bathroom, a fall can cause critical injuries. Sleeping pills can also cause confusion, mental impairment and mood alterations. A recent AARP article says also be aware that even over the counter treatments and supplements can have negative effects.

Other reasons to exercise caution when it comes to sleeping pills? They can mask other medical conditions such as anxiety and sleep disorders. Also, quite simply, there are better alternatives.

Most physicians agree that the best way to start improving your sleep routine is by making good lifestyle choices. Exercise will help your get better sleep while late day caffeine consumption, eating late, and watching television or other devices right before bed will make sleep more challenging.

>>Read more on why you should avoid sleep aids in this article from AARP.

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Not sleeping enough can affect your health.

A CNN article reports on the research results looking at health risks associated with sleeping less than 5 hours a night. The article says, “The study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, took a closer look at a group of nearly 8,000 civil servants in the United Kingdom who had no chronic disease at age 50. Scientists asked the participants to report on how much sleep they got during clinic examinations every four to five years for the next 25 years. For those whose sleep was tracked at age 50, people who slept five hours or less a night faced a 30% higher risk that they would develop multiple chronic diseases over time than those who slept at least seven hours a night. At 60, it was a 32% increased risk, and at 70, it was a 40% greater risk.”

When they referred to chronic diseases, they were talking about diabetes, arthritis, Parkinson’s, coronary heart disease, heart failure and more.

Adam Knowlden, an associate professor of health science at the University of Alabama, explains, “Often, people see the need to sleep as an inconvenience. They think to get the most out of life, they need to deprive themselves of sleep to get ahead or to be more social, but it’s really the other way around. Most of the research shows your quality of life actually improves if you get sufficient sleep.”

>>Click here to read the CNN article and you can subscribe to their Sleep But Better newsletter series.