For any group of people, having a sufficient and good quality sleep every night can alleviate the fatigue of the body and brain, eliminate some negative emotions, and improve the function of various organs.
But in daily life, there are many elderly people who have very little sleep. There are even many elderly people who have insomnia, or the problem of not being able to enter a deep sleep state, which makes the health of the elderly greatly affected.
So many people want to know, why do people sleep less in old age?
What are the reasons for less sleep in the elderly?
First, the age factor
For the elderly population, with the gradual increase of age, the secretion of various hormones in the body will be less and less, which will make the secretion of pineal glands decrease rapidly. Once the secretion level of the pineal gland is reduced, it will affect sleep, so that the sleep time of the elderly will be greatly shortened.
Second, bad work and rest habits
There are many elderly people who have some bad work and rest habits, such as taking a long nap during the day. The reduction of hormones in the elderly population itself will shorten the sleep time. Once you take a long nap, then when you enter the night, you will not be able to fall asleep or it is easy to wake up.
Third, the amount of exercise is reduced
Many elderly people will be in a sedentary state every day, such as being crooked on the sofa for a long time or watching TV in bed. Not only will they not go out for exercise, but they are not willing to do even the most basic housework.
The long-term inactivity of physical energy can not be consumed, the body does not feel any sense of exhaustion, naturally will lead to a reduction in sleep time, and even insomnia.
Fourth, chronic diseases
Most of the elderly due to the rapid decline in physical functions, coupled with the emergence of some bad diet and other habits, resulting in a decline in organ function, the probability of suffering from various chronic diseases will be very high.
After suffering from chronic diseases, the body will have repeated pain or other discomforts, which will also affect sleep, resulting in shortened sleep time.
So, what should the elderly population do to improve the quality of sleep?
First, adjust the sleeping environment
If there are more irritating odors in the sleeping environment, such as cigarette smoke or stir-fried oil smoke, and some musty smells, it will affect the sleep of the elderly. If the bedding is too wet, or the bed is too hard or too soft, it will affect sleep.
Therefore, the elderly must pay attention to the adjustment of the sleeping environment, actively clean the indoor hygiene every day, and pay attention to the opening of the window to breathe, and should also pay attention to the adjustment of indoor temperature, dry humidity, and the cleaning of bedding.
Second, reasonably increase the amount of exercise
Be sure to increase a certain amount of aerobic exercise every day, such as going out for slow walking exercise or playing tai chi, and you can swim properly. These aerobic exercises can consume the energy in the body, can make the body feel tired, and can improve the quality of sleep.
Third, pay attention to the adjustment of bedtime habits
Many elderly people like to drink a lot of water before going to bed, or smoke, or even drink, as well as the behavior of playing mobile phones and watching TV for a long time, which will affect the quality of sleep. If you avoid these behaviors before going to bed, and soak your feet properly or drink a cup of warm milk, it will have the effect of improving the quality of sleep.
Reminder: The elderly want to improve the quality of sleep, in addition to doing the above 3 points, if you suffer from some chronic diseases, you must accept scientific and standardized treatment, which can not only improve the quality of sleep, but also protect their health.