Page 16 - Mid Valley Times 7-1-21 E-edition.pdf

Thursday, July 1, 2021 | A16 | Mid Valley TiMes
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Get Moving During the Day, Sleep at Night
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By Ro Linscheid
There is a link be- tween the activities you do during the
day, the food you eat and the calming tech- niques you have, to the amount of sound sleep. Sierra View Homes‘ new “Get Moving Program” teaches the important aspect of
good sleep. Sleep helps repair damage, clears the debris in the brain, and enhances healthy aging. Actions in the brain while we sleep is a process of taking out the trash and repair- ing damage that can lead to serious illness. Nearly all brain repair occurs during sleep. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they need. Falling asleep
is a frequent com- plaint. Studies show that we all should get eight hours of sleep each night no matter what age we are. This amount of sleep al- lows our bodies to feel
rested and our minds to be more fully alert during the day. Since many of us are not able to get a full night’s rest, we have a very good excuse for being irritable, tired and for- getful during the day.
Researchers are finding that our
sleep pattern changes throughout our adult life span. Our sleep at age 70 is not as sound as a 20-year old. As we age, our bodies and our health also change and we tend to have more issues that can disrupt sleep. Older individuals tend to get sleepy earlier in the evening and dozing in the evening can lead to trouble falling asleep when it is time to go to bed for the night. Drinking alcohol and caffeine, as well as smoking in the later part of the day, can trigger sleep problems. Sleep disturbances happen mostly because of illnesses or the med- ications used to treat them. It makes sense that the more disorders one has, the harder it
is to get a good night’s sleep.
Pain is a common cause of disrupted sleep. It can keep one from falling asleep
or be the thing that wakes you up in the night. Not sleeping well during the night can lead to increased pain the next day.
Lack of sleep keeps us from dealing well with pain issues.
Some medical issues come with medications that cause sleep prob- lems. Many medica- tions have stimulating effects that can keep you from falling asleep. Diuretics, for example, when used to treat water retention, causes repeated periods of waking up to go to the bathroom.
Sleep Apnea is a source of sleeping difficulty. People with sleep apnea tend to snore loudly, stop breathing for 10-30 seconds and then start breathing with
a gasp. This routine can happen repeatedly throughout the night. Each time the breath- ing starts again the person wakes up for a little while. Sleep ap- nea can cause daytime sleepiness and cause high blood pressure and heart disease to worsen. It can be treat- ed with some lifestyle changes or with the “continuous positive airway pressure” CPAP machine. Sometimes surgery can help, but
it is important to talk to your doctor if you are experiencing these problems.
Another issue that can keep people awake is Restless Leg Syn- drome. People who have a creepy-crawly feeling especially in
the legs could be expe- riencing Restless Leg Syndrome. This feel- ing makes you want to move around. It tends to get worse in the evenings as your body is starting to relax for sleep. You could also have Periodic Limb Movement Disorder. A person with this dis- order kicks one or both legs many times during sleep. Treatment that could help for these disorders is taking a hot, or cold bath, plac- ing hot, or cold packs on your legs, relaxation techniques or massag- ing the legs and feet.
If daytime sleepiness becomes excessive it may be time to talk to your doctor. Your doc- tor will try to pinpoint what is keeping you from a good night’s sleep. He/she may pre- scribe medication to help you get back into a routine for a good night’s sleep. The doc- tor may prescribe sleep aides to help you get to sleep. It is important to remember that those sleep aides can prove to be addicting and cause a worse problem in the end. Be sure to work with your doctor following directions regarding the sleep aides.
Getting adequate sleep requires both sufficient total sleep time and enough deep sleep. It is important to be mindful of what
keeps us from getting that sleep. Establish- ing a bedtime routine that includes relaxation and going to bed at
the same time every night, avoid drinking alcohol and caffeine in the late afternoon and doing some exercise every day helps one fall asleep more eas- ily. Taking naps more than 20 minutes in length or dozing in the evening may keep you from falling asleep easily. Keep a diary of your sleep habits to determine if there are lifestyle changes you could make to improve your quality of sleep.
So, remember your childhood – a time when you did not have health issues, stress
or interruptions that kept you from getting a good night’s rest. We all need to have
a good night in order to have a great day. Chronic lack of sleep increases the risk of health problems, so if you are having trouble sleeping, I encourage you to keep a diary, adjust your routine to encourage sleep, and see your doctor if you have excessive sleepi- ness during the day.
A good night’s sleep brings great days, good health and successful aging so it pays to take the time to assess your sleep habits to have a good night’s sleep.
Welcoming New Patients!
Effective exercises for seniors
Losing interest in an exercise regimen is a situation many fitness enthusiasts have con- fronted at one point or another. Overcoming a stale workout rou- tine can be simple for
young athletes, whose bodies can typically handle a wide range of physical activities. That flexibility allows younger athletes the chance to pursue any number of physical activities when their existing fitness regi- mens grow stale. But what about seniors who have grown tired of their workouts?
Even seniors who have lived active life- styles since they were youngsters are likely
to encounter certain physical limitations associated with aging. According to the Cen- ters for Disease Con- trol and Prevention, the likelihood of deal- ing with one or more physical limitations increases with age. CDC data indicates that 8 percent of adults between the ages of 50 and 59 have three or more physical limita- tions. That figure rises to 27 percent among adults age 80 and over.
Physical limitations may be a part of aging for many people, but such obstacles need not limit seniors looking to banish boredom from their workout routines. In fact, many seniors can successfully engage in a variety of exercises that benefit their bod- ies and are unlikely to grow stale.
• Water aerobics: Sometimes referred to as “aqua aerobics,”
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