Part of the trouble, says Kripke, is that as people age, their metabolism slows down and the body processes drugs more slowly. This can cause a sleeping pill that is designed to last only overnight to remain in the body for much longer in an older person. Additionally, since elderly people are, in general, more frail, falls caused by grogginess after taking a sleeping pill can lead to bigger problems, like broken bones.
Getting Some Rest
As people age, they tend to need less sleep. While teens may be able to stay in bed for hours on end, adults generally need only seven or eight hours of sleep to feel rested. After the age of 60, the number of sleep hours may decrease even more.
"Not all people need eight hours of sleep," reminds Kripke, who explains that many seniors who seek out sleeping pills don't have a sleep disorder at all and are simply overly-concerned by shorter nights of sleep. "There are two kinds of older people," he says. "Those that wake up at night and worry, and those that wake up and don't worry."
Therefore, before reaching for a prescription bottle, Kripke reminds seniors that there are other options to help you sleep through the night, cut down on the frustration of early waking and feel rested during the day.
First, many seniors spend too much time in bed. Often, simply going to bed a little later helps seniors stay asleep through the night. Also, if you wake up in the middle of the night and don't feel like you're going to fall asleep again, "get out of bed," says Kripke. He suggests moving into another room to read a book or watch television until you feel tired again.
If sleeping problems linger or are caused by pain or shortness of breath, be sure to see a doctor. It is possible that a more serious problem, like sleep apnea, underlies your insomnia.
