Getting older is a bit like going through your teens. Your body insists on giving you new surprises nearly every day.  Only these surprises can be kinda disheartening. Naturally sleep may be affected.  Understanding what is happening can help us make needed adjustments that can get us back on track.

Sleeping is a natural part of your life that you probably took for granted growing up. Once you are nearing retirement age however, this natural ability to fall asleep and stay asleep slowly loses its grip on you. Many older adults have problems sleeping and some just deal with it and think it is a part of the process of growing older. There are some steps you can take to increase your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.

First of all, as we grow older, the body produces less of the chemicals that help your body recognize when it’s time to sleep and wake up. The main ingredient in this chemical makeup is melatonin. When this key chemical decreases, your inner clock, or circadian rhythm, is thrown off. You might find that you never really fall into a deep, restful sleep because you are waking up several times a night or have trouble even falling asleep or waking too early. This can be quite frustrating considering that you need the same amount of sleep that you did before. You sometimes might have to take naps to compensate for your tiredness during the day.

However, getting older doesn’t necessarily mean that you will automatically have a sleep disorder. There are a few things you can try that can help alter your sleep patterns. One of those things relates to the above paragraph where melatonin was referenced. You can buy melatonin in pill form from a pharmacy. After getting the o.k. from your doctor, follow the instructions for taking the melatonin, but be patient as it might take a few days for it to be really effective. The melatonin has been helpful for some people in “reprogramming” the body to recognize its own circadian rhythms.

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