What causes insomnia in the elderly?

Insomnia in the elderly is common. Some elderly people fall asleep but often wake up in the middle of the night, or some may have difficulty falling asleep or even cannot fall asleep at all. These things can affect the quality of sleep. Insomnia problems in the elderly are caused by the following factors:

• Changes in sleep cycles. As people age, their sleep cycles may change, making it harder for older adults to fall asleep, wake up more during the night, or get less sleep. On average, people aged 26-64 should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
• Hormonal changes during menopause  can make it difficult to sleep. 
• Health problems such as joint pain, body aches, heart disease, diabetes, or respiratory problems can interfere with sleep.
• Mental health problems such as  depression in the elderly,  anxiety, family problems

9 Easy Ways to Treat Insomnia in the Elderly

Insomnia is a matter that may cause great concern to the elderly. Some people try to force their eyes to sleep. Many people may think that forcing their eyes to sleep will make them sleepy. But in fact, it may cause us to not be able to sleep all night. We have a way to solve the problem of insomnia in the elderly as follows: 

Exercise regularly.
The first way to solve insomnia in the elderly ยูฟ่าเบท is to find sports or exercises that are appropriate for their age, such as brisk walking, yoga, cycling, Chinese boxing, etc. The appropriate time to exercise is 4-6 hours before bedtime. However, you should not exercise before bedtime because it will make the autonomic nervous system work too much, causing the body to be alert.

Avoid caffeinated beverages.
Many older adults are addicted to coffee or tea, which can make it difficult to fall asleep at night.

Drink warm milk or eat a banana before going to bed.
Because bananas and milk contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is converted to serotonin, which helps relieve stress, anxiety, and makes you feel drowsy and fall asleep more easily.

Avoid eating heavy or spicy meals before bed.
Eating dinner or a late meal before bed will make your digestive system work harder, causing discomfort, bloating, fullness, and making it difficult to sleep.

Relax your mind before bed,
such as meditating, breathing exercises before bed, relaxing your mind, or giving yourself a gentle body massage to help your body and mind relax more.

Avoid playing with your mobile phone before going to bed.
Avoid playing with your mobile phone, watching TV, or using the computer before going to bed because the blue light from the screen will make us feel alert and make it difficult to fall asleep.

Take a warm bath.
Taking a warm bath before bed can help your body relax and your muscles relax, making it easier to fall asleep.

Arrange the bedroom appropriately.

The bedroom temperature should not be too hot and the bedroom should not be disturbed by light and noise to ensure quality sleep.

Consult a doctor
If the above methods of treating insomnia for the elderly do not work or the elderly have chronic insomnia, affecting daily life, and are at risk of accidents, you should consult a doctor immediately. You can consult a doctor on the BeDee app every day. It is convenient and does not require travel.