Michelle Crouch
We’ve all been
there: staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning and waiting for sleep to
come — only to find it slipping further away.
A 2020 survey by
the National Center for Health Statistics revealed that about 1 in 5 people (20
percent) over age 45 had trouble falling asleep most days or every day in the
past month, compared to only 15 percent of younger adults.
Several factors
can affect older adults’ ability to fall asleep, says Aaron Holley, a
pulmonary, sleep and critical care medicine physician at MedStar Washington
Hospital Center.
Older adults
often have less structure in their days, which can impact sleep, he says. In
addition, a lack of physical activity, chronic illnesses and normal age-related
changes in sleep patterns can contribute to sleep problems among older adults.
Fortunately,
experts say these simple, research-backed strategies can help you fall asleep
faster:
1. Set
consistent wake and sleep times
Establishing a
structured schedule can help regulate your sleep patterns and make falling
asleep easier, experts say.
Start by setting
a consistent wake-up time, Holley suggests; it doesn't matter whether it's 5
a.m. or 9 a.m., he says — what's crucial is sticking to that time every day.
After a few days
of maintaining a regular wakeup time, establish a bedtime, too, Holley
advises. Aim for 6 to 7 hours before
your chosen wake time.
“It's less sleep
than you need, and that's done very purposely,” Holley explains. “The reason
we're purposeful about that is, we want you to be relatively sleep-deprived
when you finally get into bed, so that you fall asleep quickly.”
2. Ditch the
recliner (and the micro-naps)
With fewer daily
demands in retirement, many older adults find themselves nodding off during the
day, especially in the evening while watching TV. Others may nap because they
didn’t get enough sleep the night before.
Sleeping during
the day can rob you of your sleep drive and make it harder to drift off quickly
at bedtime, says Kristin Daley, a psychologist who specializes in sleep at BASE
Cognitive Behavioral in Charlotte.
No matter how
tired you feel, Daley advises trying to stay awake until your designated
bedtime.
Instead of
sinking into a recliner in the evening after dinner, try a more upright chair,
she suggests. Consider using commercial breaks as an opportunity to get up and
move around.
3. Get moving
during the day
Having a busy,
active day plays a crucial role in your ability to fall asleep at night,
experts say.
Research
consistently shows that physical activity leads to better sleep quality and
duration.
For example, one
meta-analysis of 34 studies found that exercising improves both the quality and
the duration of sleep, especially in older adults. The correlation held whether
the activity was intense or more moderate, according to the study, but mind-body
regimens such as yoga and Tai Chi were particularly effective.
Another 2024
study published in Nature Scientific Reports found that participants who
engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity during the day fell asleep
more quickly than those who were sedentary.
4. Get outside
Many adults
spend much of their day indoors, away from sunlight, and then are exposed to a
lot of artificial light in the evenings, says neurologist Alberto Ramos,
research director of the Sleep Disorders Program at the University of Miami
Miller School of Medicine.
That pattern can
disrupt your circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep, he says.
Instead, Ramos
recommends spending at least 10 to 15 minutes a day outside. Studies show
exposure to sunlight, especially in the morning, improves the quality of your
sleep and helps you fall asleep faster.
Even a brief
morning walk can make a difference, Ramos says.
5. Limit
caffeine
Caffeine can
stay in your system as long as 12 hours, according to the Sleep Foundation,
affecting your ability to fall asleep.
Even if you feel
like you’re immune to its effects, research shows it still disrupts your sleep,
Ramos says. He advises clients who struggle to fall asleep to avoid caffeine
after noon.
Remember,
caffeine is not just in coffee but also in many types of tea, soda and
chocolate.
6. Try the 3-2-1
strategy
Another approach
that can help regulate your circadian rhythm and improve your sleep is
sometimes called the 3-2-1 strategy, Daley says. Here’s how it works:
- 3 hours before bed: Stop eating. “Whenever we consume food, particularly carbohydrates, our body releases insulin, and insulin activity tells our brain we're supposed to be awake,” Daley says.
- 2 hours before bed: Step away from electronics. Devices like phones and tablets, held close to your eyes, emit light that stimulates your brain, signaling wakefulness instead of rest.
- 1 hour before bed: Begin a restful wind down. Avoid anything that could create stress, like checking emails or scrolling through social media. Give yourself permission to be unavailable and off the clock, helping your brain relax and prepare for sleep.
7. Create a
sleep-friendly environment
Your bedroom
should be a sanctuary for rest, free from distractions and clutter and
conducive to relaxation.
Experts
recommend keeping your room cool — around 65°F — because a lower core body
temperature signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep. Block all light and
minimize noise with a fan or white noise machine.
If you’re a
clock watcher, consider turning your clock around or covering it with a
blanket, Holley suggests.
“Clock watching
is a death knell because as soon as you look at a clock, your brain starts
calculating how much sleep you have left,” he says, “and then you start
worrying more.”
8. Set aside
time for worry during the day
Do you fall into
bed, exhausted, only to have your mind race with worries or tomorrow’s to-do
list? You’re not alone.
Older adults
“often have a lot of family and health issues they tend to push aside during
the day when they’re busy, engaged and paying attention to other things,” Dalay
says. “But then when they get in bed at night is when all of those stressors
show up and are pretty loud.”
To manage those
worries, Daley recommends setting aside dedicated time during the day to jot
down your worries on a piece of paper: What has been weighing heavily on your
mind? What are your hopes, prayers and desired outcomes?
9. Try a
relaxation or distraction technique
If you still
find it challenging to quiet your brain at night, experts say meditation,
breathing exercises or progressive relaxation techniques can help. A randomized clinical control trial (the gold
standared of medical research) published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that
that mindful meditation was particularly effective in helping older adults with
insomnia.
Daley suggests
visualizing your racing thoughts as a toddler throwing a tantrum — something to
be acknowledged but ultimately ignored. Instead, focus on happy memories, she
says, such as favorite moments from a past vacation or joyful experiences from
your childhood.
Another option:
use a smartphone app to listen to a guided meditation, visualization and
relaxation exercises. Holley recommends trying several apps to find the one
that works best for you.
However, he says
all of these strategies are most effective when practiced regularly as
preventative measures, rather than trying to use them for the first time when
you’re panicked and lying in bed.
10. Seek
professional help if nothing else works
Sleep experts
caution against relying too heavily on over-the-counter sleep aids, which can
lead to cognitive impairment, increased fall risk and dependency in older
adults. Some people find melatonin helps them fall asleep faster, but it has a
number of side effects.
Instead, if your
sleep challenges persist after trying these strategies for a month or so, it’s
best to talk to your primary care doctor or reach out a sleep specialist.
A sleep
specialist can help you address underlying issues, offer tailored strategies to
improve your sleep quality and prescribe medication if necessary.
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