It becomes more difficult with age.
When you were younger, you probably slept until noon without a problem. But, as you grow older, you may notice that having quality sleep is difficult.
Although research has shown that old people sleepless, it is not because they need less sleep. Instead, it is due to age-related changes in the brain. Instead, a review, published in Neuron, argues that it is due to age-related brain changes that prevent them from getting the rest they need. And this may have serious implications.
Sleeping soundly requires slow and fast brain waves called sleep spindles, which are more difficult to achieve with age. On top of that, the neurochemicals that help us sleep and wake up are not there when we need them, leading to being tired during the day and unable to close our eyes at night.
This decline begins around the age of 30, and the resulting sleep deprivation may make us more prone to memory loss, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, stroke, obesity, heart disease, and other physical and psychological problems.
Dr. Matthew Walker, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of California Berkeley, said in a press release that “almost all diseases that kill us during the golden years have a causal link to sleep deprivation.”
The good news? Sleeping more and better could stop the effects of aging. Some studies show that treating sleep problems with nonpharmacological therapies such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) slows physical and cognitive decline.
If you want to avoid the damage caused by lack of sleep as you grow, the researchers suggest not to trust sleeping pills, as they don’t provide the benefits of natural sleep. Spending a lot of time under the covers does not help either, the important thing is the quality of sleep.
Some proven strategies for sleeping more soundly are viewing relaxation scenes, consuming vitamin D, and resisting the urge to nap. If you are not sure about the quality of your sleep, a physical activity monitor can help you find out.