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How Can Insomnia Be Treated?
I am a 78 yrs old and fairly healthy as far as I know. I am in psy therapy and have been for years andmy question to you is this...In the past few days all I want to do is sleep. I sleep well at night but I have tried everything to take away this sleepiness. It is not medication for I am not taking anything differet than I have taken for years. Thank you very much. June
Mon, 7 Jan 2019
Hello,
It is not uncommon in elderly to suffer sleep changes over a short span of time.
What is clear from your history is that medications are less likely the cause and as you mentioned fairly healthy in your query I suppose you have no history of chronic pain that might disturb your sleep.
Moreover, we should understand that with advancing age the quantity of sleep increases but the quality is poor, as a result even after sleeping well at night people wake up tired and sleep-deprived in the morning.
There is a medication that can help you with sleeping sound, but I would recommend the medication-free approach.
The method you can try is 'sleep hygiene' in which you make certain lifestyle modifications which helps you improve the quality of sleep.
All you have to do is involve in low impact regular exercise daily, maintain time you retire to bed and the time you wake up constant, keep bedroom dark and quiet, limit alcohol intake, avoid caffeine after 4 PM, eat regular healthy meals and reduce fluid intake a couple of hours before going to bed.
These measures may improve quality of sleep which will help you wake up well-rested and fresh.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Ayesha Shareef, General & Family Physician
It is not uncommon in elderly to suffer sleep changes over a short span of time.
What is clear from your history is that medications are less likely the cause and as you mentioned fairly healthy in your query I suppose you have no history of chronic pain that might disturb your sleep.
Moreover, we should understand that with advancing age the quantity of sleep increases but the quality is poor, as a result even after sleeping well at night people wake up tired and sleep-deprived in the morning.
There is a medication that can help you with sleeping sound, but I would recommend the medication-free approach.
The method you can try is 'sleep hygiene' in which you make certain lifestyle modifications which helps you improve the quality of sleep.
All you have to do is involve in low impact regular exercise daily, maintain time you retire to bed and the time you wake up constant, keep bedroom dark and quiet, limit alcohol intake, avoid caffeine after 4 PM, eat regular healthy meals and reduce fluid intake a couple of hours before going to bed.
These measures may improve quality of sleep which will help you wake up well-rested and fresh.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Ayesha Shareef, General & Family Physician
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