(HealthDay News) — Older adults still need seven or eight hours of sleep each night to feel rested and refreshed in the morning. But getting that much sleep poses a challenge for many elderly people.
The American Academy of Family Physicians mentions these common causes of sleep problems among seniors:
- Age-associated changes in the sleep-wake cycle.
- Age-associated reduction in the body’s production of “sleep hormones,” such as melatonin.
- Smoking and increased consumption of alcohol or caffeine.
- Pain or illness.
- Taking certain medications.
- Disorders such as sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome.