Did you now that one in three people over 65 yrs. suffer from some kind of sleep disorder? And did you know that many of them are unaware that they have a problem?

There is a reason behind this lack of awareness. It is usually thought that someone has a sleep disorder when a person is unable to sleep, but in fact, being able to sleep but waking up feeling that you haven’t rested enough is considered to be a sleep disorder too.

It is true that sleep patterns change over the years. New-born’s need to sleep up to 16 hours a day whereas some older people just need a few hours of sleep. However, sleeping is necessary because some physiological actions can only be performed while we are deeply asleep. That’s why healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in your quality of life. Here are some tips that might help you sleep like a baby:

- Try to go to bed every night at the same time even at the weekend and during holiday.
- Don’t stay in bed if you cannot sleep. If you haven’t managed to fall asleep after 30 minutes, try to do a relaxing activity such as reading a book. Watching TV or reading I-pads / I-phones or tablets will NOT help.
- Avoid coffee, alcohol and cigarettes.
- Try to stay active during the day and do some sports if you can. Try to walk at least an hour everyday if you are able.
- Sleep just as much as you need: not more, not less.

And most importantly, don’t forget to talk to your doctor if you think that you might have a sleep disorder and never take sleeping pills without your GPs approval.