A good night's rest is absolutely vital to good health and well-being. The amount of sleep needed each night is constant throughout adulthood, 7 to 9 hours per night. While the amount of sleep we need remains the same, the quality of sleep does change with age. Nighttime sleep is more likely to be disturbed as we get older.

Sleep architecture is different in older adults. We all cycle through the same stages of sleep each night; but, as we get older, less time is spent in the deeper stages of sleep. Sleep becomes more fragmented. Arousals are more frequent. We secrete lesser amounts of brain chemicals that regulate our sleep-wake cycles as we age. All of us experience temporary sleep problems related to illness or stress. Persistent trouble sleeping that results in daytime sleepiness is not a normal consequence of aging.

Some of the modifiable reasons that older adults do not sleep well include prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, less physical activity during the daytime, and naps that disturb sleep patterns. In addition, older adults more commonly develop certain physical, medical, and psychological conditions that interfere with sleep.

Among the physical conditions that disturb sleep, including pain and nighttime urination, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition that commonly occurs in persons over age 65. The airway is partially obstructed while asleep, leading to snoring, low blood oxygen levels, and brief awakenings. The affected person experiences headaches, high blood pressure, cognitive impairment, and daytime sleepiness. OSA is a serious condition that can have detrimental effects on overall health.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) are medical conditions, which interfere with sleep. RLS may affect 44% of persons over age 65. PLMD describes frequent, involuntary movements of the legs or arms that occur during sleep. Affected people may be unaware of these movements and the arousals that they cause during the night. They experience daytime sleepiness and do not wake up feeling refreshed. RLS occurs when a person is trying to fall asleep. They experience discomfort in their legs (or arms) that create an urge to move the limb. Thus, the affected person has trouble falling asleep. RLS can run in families, and it can be associated with anemia, low iron levels, kidney failure, neurological diseases, and medications.

Depression is a psychological condition that directly affects sleep. Hypersomnia (too much sleep) and insomnia (difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep) may be experienced. Most commonly, people have early morning awakenings�they wake up in the early hours of the morning and cannot fall back asleep.

Sleep hygiene itself is often neglected and, if maintained, it can improve sleep. In order to be able to fall asleep, you must create a sleep-conductive environment. Your sleeping area needs to be comfortable and without distractions. Caffeinated drinks and nicotine taken late in the evening can keep you awake. A routine bedtime observed seven days a week will help train your body to fall asleep at a certain time. Physical activity early in the day and avoiding long naps, especially later in the day, will help you fall asleep at your desired bedtime.

Many people with sleep problems may self-medicate with over-the-counter sleep aids or alcohol. Sleeping pills are short-term fixes that do not address the underlying condition. Daytime sleepiness may be ignored until a serious event occurs, such, as, falling asleep while driving a car. If you have trouble falling asleep, maintaining sleep, have early morning awakenings, feel unrefreshed after sleep, suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness, or believe that you may have OSA, PLMD, or RLS, consult your physician for an evaluation. A sleep study may be ordered and medications are available to treat these conditions. More information can be found at www.sleepfoundation.org.