Insomnia in Seniors Can Be Controlled

Insomnia in seniors is not a lot different than when you were younger; or is it?

The answer is both yes and no, as the older you get the more severe it can become.

As we enter our 70’s and 80’s, or in some cases earlier, it may worsen into sun-downers and dementia, but that is for another expanded topic.

While we took care of my wife’s mother as caregivers for 7 years, she had sun downers syndrome but we were able to beat it though some natural remedies.

However, while still a major issue, is nowhere near that severe. 

Insomnia in Seniors

The next question to ask is this a part of the aging process?

According to several medical experts, there is a general and wide spread consciences that no, it is not part of the aging process.

However, tell that to anyone past 60 years of age or older and they may disagree.

But the good news is that there are several very natural, safe and effective ways to treat insomnia in seniors.

So what exactly is insomnia and what causes it to seem to be more severe as we all sooner or later enter in our senior years.

The best and most common way to describe it is that you simply cannot sleep. However, in reality, it is much more extensive than that.

All of us have a bad night’s sleep every now and then, but if you start to develop it as you age, it is a lot more serious.

The reason for this is simple; it will start to affect your overall health.

This condition can affect different people at all ages in different ways, but as we get older it can easily start to affect our immune system and its strength, and as a result, easily lead to depression.

As we all advance in age, depression can quickly lead to several other much more serious conditions.

Because of this, it is extremely important to watch for and be aware of the following symptoms.

The Symptoms of Insomnia in Older Adults

Here are the most of the symptoms of Insomnia in seniors

• Waking up in the middle of the night and whatever you try, cannot go back to sleep
• Wandering at night and then not remembering it
• Waking up and wanting to eat to try to go to sleep
• Feeling irritable for no real apparent reasons
• Falling asleep while driving or setting for long periods of time
• Memory loss and depression

While these are not all of the symptoms, they are considered to be the most common.

Potential Causes

It is important to remember that while this condition is not considered to be part of the aging process we are all going through, natural changes in our brains are.

That is why senior brain food is so important and why it was one of the first pages on this website.

If you do not feed your brain the proper food, it can easily lead to depression, dementia, and worse yet, Alzheimer’s disease.

As we age, our internal clock, which has worked for us so dutifully over the years, begins to shift.

All of us throughout our lifetime have laughed and joked about the “old people” that go to restaurants early, and then go to bed early.

Well, now that is us, and insomnia in seniors is where this clock shifting is having the complete opposite effect and is keeping us from getting a good night’s sleep.

There are several potential causes of why this is happening including some of the following.

• Changes of schedule or routine which never used to be an issue
• Too much alcohol consumption
• Drinking too much coffee or other fluid before we go to bed
• Anxiety and depression over how your senior life may be going
• Worrying about the health of old friends, relatives, and spouses

However, it may also be the result of aches and pains that you never used to have, which is all the more reasons you need to feed your brain and body the right foods in this aging process.

Natural Treatments

However, there is some very good news with insomnia in seniors; there are natural, safe, and very effective treatments.

These treatments include the following as documented in Web MD and referenced below.

• Valerian Root
• Chamomile
• Passion Flower
• Lemon Balm
• Melatonin

The first on this list, Valerian Root, may be able to help induce sleep as well as help you keep asleep.  

It is used in many sleep aids in over the counter medications, and has been used for centuries as a herb to treat both depression as well as insomnia.

Chamomile is the second most popular herb used to treat insomnia in seniors, as well as people of all ages. It has also been used for centuries has no reported side effects.

Passion Flower, also used for centuries, is another herb used for sleeping disorders. It is also used as a natural treatment for nervous exhaustion.

Lemon Balm is an herb form the mint family and has is also used to treat sleeping disorders, anxiety, and restlessness in general.

The final of the natural treatments for insomnia in seniors in Melatonin, and although still not fully understood, can be very effective.

It is a hormone made by our brain and it plays a huge role in our sleep-wake cycle. It is also the most recommend herb for jet lag and adjusting back to a regular time cycle.

References

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/alternative_treatments_for_insomnia#3

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