Poor sleep effects brain health in old age

A new Age UK report has found that older people must make it a priority to get the required amount of sleep in later life in order to maintain a healthy brain and stay mentally sharp.

The new report into sleep in later life, conducted by the Global Council on Brain Health, in an initiative jointly convened by Age UK and the AARP, showed that the ability to sleep properly becomes more difficult with age, so getting the right amount of sleep is paramount for mental and physical sharpness the older a person becomes.

The charity found that ‘deep sleep’ decreases in adults between the ages of 30 to 60. Disturbances to sleep in older age can be environmental, such as the temperature of a bedroom, or related to lifestyle factors such as eating late or taking certain medications. Sleep apnoea and other sleeping disorders have also been found to be more common with older age.

Among the tips provided for older aged people to improve the quality of their sleep, the report suggests measures such as: exposing yourself to natural sunlight during the daytime; not looking at an electronic screen of any kind after you get into bed; not drinking coffee (caffeine) after lunch time; and getting up at the same time every day.

James Goodwin, Chief Scientist at Age UK, said: “Sleeping is something we all tend to take for granted, but we really have to wise up to the fact that getting the right amount of good sleep is crucial as we age, helping to protect us from all kinds of problems that can affect our brains as well as our bodies.”