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• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Age, ageing and changes in sleep >> Age, ageing and changes in sleep

Age, ageing and changes in sleep

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Going to the doctor or chemist >> Going to the doctor or chemist

Going to the doctor or chemist

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• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 75+ >> Robert - Interview 06 >> Robert’s first place to go for help with sleep would be his doctor, not the chemist, because he feels they know more about him and his health.

At the time of his interview Robert had recently lost his wife and was still trying to cope with the aftermath of her illness and his subsequent bereavement. Robert has found that he wakes up quite a lot in the night and hopes that, with time, his sleep pattern will settle back into the routine he had before his wife was ill. Robert likes to keep very active and enjoys engineering problems and making things. He has recently started to cycle again.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 75+ >> Audrey - Interview 39 >> Audrey finds that all aspects of her sleep have changed as she has got older, but for her the worst part is taking ages to get to sleep.

Audrey feels her sleep has deteriorated a lot in the last ten years. She rarely gets more than a few hours a night, and a really good night would be when Audrey sleeps for 4-5 hours. She would really like to sleep longer.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 75+ >> Jim - Interview 26 >> Jim’s doctor has told him that the reason he now gets up a lot more in the night to go to the toilet is because he is getting older.

Jim has been retired for several years, but is still very active and likes to work in the garden. He does suffer from diabetes and this has affected his health and his sleep. He finds he has to be careful to carry sugar with him, and think about when he should be eating and drinking. Occasionally he has problems during the night caused by his diabetes.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Mike - Interview 12 >> Mike doesn’t like the idea of having to take a nap during the day because he believes that would indicate he is getting older.

Mike works part-time as a test centre administrator. He has noticed a change in his sleep as he has got older, noticeably that he has periods of deeper sleep, but he doesn’t believe he sleeps any longer than he used to. Mike noticed his sleep changed when he first had children, and finds that pattern has continued.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Jacqui - Interview 35 >> Jacqui, who does shift work, notices that she finds it harder to recover from a shift now she is older.

Jacqui lives with her partner and works part-time as a care worker. She slept well as a child, but noticed a dramatic change in her sleep when she became a stewardess, and when she got married. She believes the different shifts she worked and jet lag caused a change in her sleeping pattern. Eventually she went to the doctor for some mild sleeping tablets, which she took occasionally over the years. Currently Jacqui is sleeping much better and has not taken any sleeping tablets for a few years.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Peter - Interview 19 >> Peter feels his sleep will gradually change as he got older, but thinks that’s a normal part of ageing.

Peter sometimes finds it difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep because of a shoulder injury and lower back pain. He only very occasionally dozes off during the day, but sometimes might if he has been active, or has gone for a long run. Peter feels that there are times in his life when he has more to worry about, and this will most likely affect how he sleeps.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> John - Interview 15 >> John was told by his doctor to expect his sleep to worsen as he got older, but not to worry unless it got really bad.

John feels that a good night’s sleep for him would be about 7 hours, and the amount of sleep he gets is important to him, even if it is interrupted. Currently John feels he only gets about 5 ½ to 6 hours sleep and would like to get more, but would not seek help from his doctor until he felt lack of sleep impacted on whether he could drive safely. John tries to avoid sleeping during the day because he feels it will impact on how well he sleeps at night.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Ronald - Interview 01 >> Ronald has found that as he has got older he goes to the toilet a lot more in the night.

Ronald finds he usually gets about 6 ½ to 7 hours sleep a night, but this is disturbed by having to get up and go to the toilet. Although he usually drops off to sleep straight away, occasionally he finds he can’t get to sleep, or wakes up in the night and can’t get back to sleep, so on these occasions he tries counting sheep, but this doesn’t always work. Ronald noticed a change in his sleep pattern when he took early retirement because of health problems, and the change in his daily routine.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Ronald - Interview 01 >> Ronald sees falling asleep in the evening in front of the television as natural, but would be concerned if he started napping during the day.

Ronald finds he usually gets about 6 ½ to 7 hours sleep a night, but this is disturbed by having to get up and go to the toilet. Although he usually drops off to sleep straight away, occasionally he finds he can’t get to sleep, or wakes up in the night and can’t get back to sleep, so on these occasions he tries counting sheep, but this doesn’t always work. Ronald noticed a change in his sleep pattern when he took early retirement because of health problems, and the change in his daily routine.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Ronald - Interview 01 >> Ronald retired early because of health problems, and noticed a change in his sleep then because of a change in his daily routine.

Ronald finds he usually gets about 6 ½ to 7 hours sleep a night, but this is disturbed by having to get up and go to the toilet. Although he usually drops off to sleep straight away, occasionally he finds he can’t get to sleep, or wakes up in the night and can’t get back to sleep, so on these occasions he tries counting sheep, but this doesn’t always work. Ronald noticed a change in his sleep pattern when he took early retirement because of health problems, and the change in his daily routine.

• Condition
• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Sleep problems in later life

Publication date:  9th November 2009          Review date: under review

 

Sleep is important for health and well-being but it is increasingly recognised that sleep quality declines with age, and many older people experience trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, and waking early. We interviewed 33 people about their experiences of poor sleep. Select from the six key topics below, choose from the 'Full list of topics', or explore all the interviews.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Ronald - Interview 01 >> Ronald has found that as he has got older he goes to the toilet a lot more in the night.

Ronald finds he usually gets about 6 ½ to 7 hours sleep a night, but this is disturbed by having to get up and go to the toilet. Although he usually drops off to sleep straight away, occasionally he finds he can’t get to sleep, or wakes up in the night and can’t get back to sleep, so on these occasions he tries counting sheep, but this doesn’t always work. Ronald noticed a change in his sleep pattern when he took early retirement because of health problems, and the change in his daily routine.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Going to the toilet in the night >> Going to the toilet in the night

Going to the toilet in the night

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> John - Interview 15 >> John isn’t sure whether he is waking up because he wants to go to the toilet, but wonders whether the water tablet he is taking may be the cause.

John feels that a good night’s sleep for him would be about 7 hours, and the amount of sleep he gets is important to him, even if it is interrupted. Currently John feels he only gets about 5 ½ to 6 hours sleep and would like to get more, but would not seek help from his doctor until he felt lack of sleep impacted on whether he could drive safely. John tries to avoid sleeping during the day because he feels it will impact on how well he sleeps at night.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Mike - Interview 12 >> Mike doesn’t like the idea of having to take a nap during the day because he believes that would indicate he is getting older.

Mike works part-time as a test centre administrator. He has noticed a change in his sleep as he has got older, noticeably that he has periods of deeper sleep, but he doesn’t believe he sleeps any longer than he used to. Mike noticed his sleep changed when he first had children, and finds that pattern has continued.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Mike - Interview 12 >> Mike felt if he did start to nap it would signify he was getting older.

Mike works part-time as a test centre administrator. He has noticed a change in his sleep as he has got older, noticeably that he has periods of deeper sleep, but he doesn’t believe he sleeps any longer than he used to. Mike noticed his sleep changed when he first had children, and finds that pattern has continued.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 75+ >> Daphne - Interview 29 >> Daphne has read somewhere that older people don’t need so much sleep.

Daphne has been retired for a few years, but has had a variety of very interesting professions, such as officer in the WAAF, fashion model and actress. On the whole she finds she sleeps well, but would like to have more than the five or six hours she currently has. Daphne believes sleep is very important, but would only really be concerned if she felt she couldn’t get to sleep.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 75+ >> Otto - Interview 36 >> Otto wonders that if he, like Margaret Thatcher, needs only about four or five hours sleep now he is older.

Otto has been widowed for four years and has 2 children and one grandchild. Otto is a retired design engineer and was in the RAF during the second world war. Otto likes to keep active by walking a lot and also has an exercise bicycle. His main problems with sleep are that he finds he has to get up in the night to go to the toilet, and then finds he can’t get back to sleep, usually because he finds thoughts and worries go round and round his head.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Dessie - Interview 17 >> Dessie will ring one of her very good friends every morning to talk about how they both slept the night before.

Dessie feels her sleep has got a lot worse, especially since she lost her husband. She finds she sometimes wakes up in the very early hours of the morning and can’t get back to sleep at all. Dessie is very active and likes to keep herself very busy, working in the garden, visiting friends and helping her family.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Daytime sleep >> Daytime sleep

Daytime sleep

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Making sense of poor sleep >> Making sense of poor sleep

Making sense of poor sleep

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Age, ageing and changes in sleep >> Age, ageing and changes in sleep

Age, ageing and changes in sleep

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Sleep problems in later life

Publication date:  9th November 2009          Review date: under review

 

Sleep is important for health and well-being but it is increasingly recognised that sleep quality declines with age, and many older people experience trouble getting to sleep, staying asleep, and waking early. We interviewed 33 people about their experiences of poor sleep. Select from the six key topics below, choose from the 'Full list of topics', or explore all the interviews.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Anne - Interview 33 >> Anne strongly believes in a link between eating well, getting enough exercise and sleeping well, but is disappointed with her sleep at the moment.

Anne is married and has three children, and six grandchildren. Anne retired from teaching some years ago and now works hard at keeping active, particularly enjoying spending lots of time in her garden. Anne feels that sleep is a waste of time and would much rather have more time to do the things she enjoys doing, such as writing and doing research.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Health, illness and pain >> Health, illness and pain

Health, illness and pain

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Worries >> Worries

Worries

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 75+ >> Robert - Interview 06 >> Robert can’t remember having a problem sleeping when he was a small boy, but he does remember wanting to stay in bed in the morning when he was a teen

At the time of his interview Robert had recently lost his wife and was still trying to cope with the aftermath of her illness and his subsequent bereavement. Robert has found that he wakes up quite a lot in the night and hopes that, with time, his sleep pattern will settle back into the routine he had before his wife was ill. Robert likes to keep very active and enjoys engineering problems and making things. He has recently started to cycle again.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Anne - Interview 14 >> Anne remembers there was a bedtime and wake up routine in her home and has fond memories of her father saying prayers with her and her sister when she

Anne is a retired Education Adviser, but is still working part-time writing a book. Anne likes to play golf at least once a week, but has recently had some injuries which have prevented this. She also likes to keep active by walking. Anne finds she now wakes up early in the morning and would very much like to be able to sleep in for longer.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Anne - Interview 14 >> Anne’s memories of the war include sleeping in an air raid shelter and of her mother rushing out to check whether a bomb had landed on their family ho

Anne is a retired Education Adviser, but is still working part-time writing a book. Anne likes to play golf at least once a week, but has recently had some injuries which have prevented this. She also likes to keep active by walking. Anne finds she now wakes up early in the morning and would very much like to be able to sleep in for longer.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Carol - Interview 18 >> Carol remembers not being allowed to stay in bed in the mornings when she was a teenager, unlike young people today.

Carol has noticed her sleep has changed as she has got older. In particular she now finds she has to get up to go to the toilet in the night, sometimes as often as six times, which she finds very disturbing. Now Carol is retired, she finds her days vary from being very full and busy to having little planned, and she wonders whether she doesn’t sleep so well on the days when she has been less active.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Anne - Interview 14 >> When her teenage son was out at night, Anne used to lay awake until she heard him come home.

Anne is a retired Education Adviser, but is still working part-time writing a book. Anne likes to play golf at least once a week, but has recently had some injuries which have prevented this. She also likes to keep active by walking. Anne finds she now wakes up early in the morning and would very much like to be able to sleep in for longer.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Mike - Interview 12 >> Mike remembers sleeping well when he was a teenager and young adult and having children was the start of the change in his sleeping patterns.

Mike works part-time as a test centre administrator. He has noticed a change in his sleep as he has got older, noticeably that he has periods of deeper sleep, but he doesn’t believe he sleeps any longer than he used to. Mike noticed his sleep changed when he first had children, and finds that pattern has continued.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 75+ >> Joyce - Interview 09 >> Joyce not only remembers being very tired when her children were young, but also being woken up in the night to fetch her teenage daughter from a danc

Joyce is a retired Tailoress, although she still does quite a lot of dressmaking and sewing. She has been widowed for about 7 years and has two children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren, who mostly live quite nearby. Joyce’s sleep first changed when her husband died, and now she finds she wakes up quite a lot in the night. She does believe sleep is important and would like to be able to sleep right the way through, even if only for six hours.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> Mike - Interview 12 >> Mike believes he hasn’t slept well since his children were small because he was always listening out for them.

Mike works part-time as a test centre administrator. He has noticed a change in his sleep as he has got older, noticeably that he has periods of deeper sleep, but he doesn’t believe he sleeps any longer than he used to. Mike noticed his sleep changed when he first had children, and finds that pattern has continued.

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Anne - Interview 14 >> When Anne’s son was a teenager she used to not be able to sleep until she heard him come home safely.

Anne is a retired Education Adviser, but is still working part-time writing a book. Anne likes to play golf at least once a week, but has recently had some injuries which have prevented this. She also likes to keep active by walking. Anne finds she now wakes up early in the morning and would very much like to be able to sleep in for longer.