Getting Enough ZZZ’S

By Ryhaan Shah

While we have been looking at the many benefits of movement and exercise, getting enough sleep is just as important. It is a necessity not a luxury and, more so, as we grow older. We all probably note that our sleep patterns have changed with age. Some of us might be waking up earlier or having difficulty falling asleep.
As we age, sleep naturally becomes lighter, more fragmented, and shifts to an earlier schedule, causing us to feel tired earlier in the evening and to wake up earlier in the morning.
It is recommended, however, that we still get seven to eight hours of good sleep each day. Too little sleep can jeopardise our long-term health and wellbeing. One of the most critical roles of sleep is that it “cleanses” our brain. During sleep, our brain activates a system that flushes cellular waste and toxins from our body. Any severe sleep deprivation disrupts this process.
For us older adults, chronic lack of sleep has been linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Adequate sleep is essential for consolidating memories and maintaining focus.
Many of us, from time to time, whether from worry or stress, have a restless night when we find it difficult to fall asleep; and we know how we feel the next day: tired and groggy with brain fog that makes us unable to do much.
Having one bad night now and then might not cause much damage but know that our heart also relies heavily on the downtime provided by sleep. During deep sleep, our blood pressure naturally drops giving our heart and blood vessels a much-needed break.
Having nights with little sleep consistently places more pressure on our cardiac system and raises our risk of developing high blood pressure, or even getting a heart attack or stroke. Lack of sleep has also been linked to weight gain.
A well-rested body is a resilient body. Sleep strengthens our immune system helping us ward off viruses and chronic infections, and deep sleep triggers growth hormones that repair cells and maintain muscle strength. Without this nightly recovery, muscle weakness can set in, increasing the risk of falls and physical instability.
Insomnia is the most common sleep problem for many of us age 60 and older. We could have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at least three nights a week. Short term insomnia can be caused by stress or changes to routine but chronic or long-term insomnia lasts more than three months and can’t be fully explained by any medical cause.
While this could be a time to talk to your doctor about possibly taking sleep medications, consider making adjustments to your sleep routine to see if these could help: keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool; limit your caffeine intake, heavy meals, and your TV or cell phone screen time before bed; and try to develop a routine of waking up and going to sleep at the same time every day.
Going for an evening walk after dinner, listening to calming music, or reading a book at bedtime could also help us to fall asleep easier and to stay asleep longer.
Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, who is 65 years old, recently made headlines across the world with a surprising admission. Last July, she posted on social media that sleeping zero to three hours a night had become her regular routine since taking office, boasting that she had completely abandoned the concept of work-life balance.
The late Prime Minister of Britain, Margaret Thatcher, also boasted of sleeping just four hours on weeknights while she was in office. Researchers have studied these rare “efficient sleepers” who have a specific gene variant that allows them to function normally on minimal sleep. They often refer to it as the “Thatcher gene”.
Sleep experts, however, call this idea that anyone can thrive on four hours of sleep a dangerous myth and emphasise that for most of us to function well during the day we need to get enough rest at night. They maintain that sleeping five hours or less consistently is a health risk that is linked to cardiovascular disease and a shorter life expectancy.
Medical doctors also agree that sleep is a biological requirement for most of us and it should not be viewed as a flexible habit. It is an important cornerstone of healthy ageing. Ensuring that we get a good night’s rest is one of the most powerful things we can do to protect our mind, our heart, and our overall health and wellbeing.