Why Sleep is Important for Combating Aging

As they age, many people complain that they don’t sleep very well and this produces even more feelings of fatigue and irritability than old age. In some cases the poor sleep patterns may be induced by other health or age problems. It may be something as simple as a loose flap of skin that inhibits correct breathing and perhaps causes snoring. It could even be that the snoring of a spouse causes lack of sleep.

On other occasions it could be due to bladder problems that make one or more trips to the bathroom every night necessary, or the onset of painful conditions like arthritis. Whatever the cause, lack of sleep is something that most adults try to avoid. While some diseases affect the quality of sleep in the sufferer, the reverse can be true; lack of sleep can actually impact the disease.

For instance, people who suffer from heart failure must sleep with their heads up to counteract shortness of breath. While the symptom of heart disease affects their sleep, this lack certainly contributes to the severe fatigue characteristic of heart patients.

In older people, sleep patterns vary – not just amount of sleep. The usual result of this is that there is less delta or slow-wave sleep. Slow wave sleep is an important part of the sleep pattern as this is when the body manufactures growth hormones, metabolism is reduced by about 40% and both the body and mind are at rest. This is the time of optimum rejuvenation.

The other type of sleep is when there is rapid eye movement (REM). During REM sleep, the body is at total rest, but the mind is still active – almost as much as when we are awake – and we often dream vividly. Everyone dreams, but not everyone remembers doing so. Research tells us that REM sleep allows the brain to practice new skills and do problem solving. It is just as important as slow wave sleep, and usually comes after a time of the deeper sleep.

Good sleep is needed in all age ranges; poor sleeping patterns can make us feel a great deal older than we are. While youngsters need sleep so that the body can grow, older people need it for rejuvenation of worn cells.

Without any sleep at all, people can literally go mad, but for those who suffer poor sleep, their ability to think clearly is affected, thus impacting on their quality of life. Lack of sleep also causes stress that negatively impacts the ability of the body to withstand illness. Sleeping pills are only a band-aid approach to insomnia; the reason for it needs to be addressed. While that is being sorted out, the sufferer may find a little relief in herbal teas, aromatherapy or relaxation techniques.