Apparently, we need as much sleep as our younger adult friends – 7 to 9 hours each night. As we get older, a good night’s sleep becomes more elusive. We often get less sleep than what we need and one reason is that we often have more trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. We sleep less deeply and wake up more often during the night – apparently 3 or 4 times each night. Anxiety, discomfort, pain and bathroom visits contribute their share of zombie walks during the night. This results in less deep, dreamless sleep time and it is this deep sleep that allows our systems to re-boot so we can wake up feeling well-rested . One possible answer may be that older people produce and secrete less melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. Poor sleep is associated with eventual poor health. Wouldn’t it be great if all a good night’s sleep required is a good mattress and a new pillow? Sleep Country here I come!
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