Sleep quality is surprisingly important in the aging population. Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill. The quality of sleep in the aging brain diminishes greatly as we get older. Even as early as our 30’s, our brains begin to lose the ability to maintain a deep and natural sleep cycle. This definitely does not mean that the elderly need less sleep. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
If you think good sleep quality means being in your bed for 8 hours, think again. This article from UC Berkeley discusses the importance of proving this idea wrong. Nearly every common disease later in life has some kind of link to a lack of good quality sleep. Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes all have a link to poor sleep. While poor sleep will not cause any of the leading diseases, it definitely plays a role.
Neuro-chemical deficiencies in the brain as we age contribute to lack of sleep quality. Our brains will begin to have trouble regulating chemicals that help with sleep and wake cycles and transitions. In addition, brain waves change. During sleep, slow brain waves normally help maintain memory. Yet as we age, these brain waves decline rapidly. Therefore, some memory problems can be attributed to this.
Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill to cure the deterioration of sleep. We are advised that while pharmaceuticals can help us fall asleep, sedation is not the same as natural sleep. Several non-pharmaceutical options are being explored. One is using electrical stimulation to enhance brain waves during sleep. Another is acoustic tones that act like a metronome can help slow down brain waves.
Many think that quantity over quality is important when it comes to sleep. Yet we need both quantity and quality. Sleep is important for everyone, but especially the aging population. We can improve our health, both mentally and physically, by improving our sleep.