Going to the toilet in the night

Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Strategies for good sleep >> Strategies for good sleep

Strategies for good sleep

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 >> Women aged 65-74 >> Juliet - Interview 07 >> Juliet knows that if she wakes up in the night she will have to wake herself up fully before she can consider going back to sleep again.

In addition to her formal career, Juliet has had a range of voluntary jobs such as Chairman of the Preschool Playgroup Association. Juliet was also employed as an Ofsted Lay School Inspector. Juliet is an avid silver surfer and thoroughly enjoys online shopping and writing emails. She has had rheumatoid arthritis for about 15 years and has also been diagnosed with diabetes, both of which interfere with her sleep.

Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 75+ >> Jim - Interview 26 >> Jim’s strategy for good sleep focused on how to prevent having a hypoglycemic episode in the night brought on by his diabetes.

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 >> Women aged 65-74 >> Sue B - Interview 03 >> Sue B. avoids having coffee because it may interfere with her sleep, although she may drink a dandelion coffee which doesn’t contain any caffeine.

Sue B. lives on her own in a small, friendly village. She has 4 children and 7 grandchildren. She recently gave up her job as a provider of supplies to pre-school groups, but still works part-time making scarves which she sells through Craft Fairs. Sue B. is very active, often taking several walks a day, sometimes swimming and bicycling. She is also a retired Church Warden. Sleep is very important to Sue B., and she loves waking up after a very good night’s sleep.

Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Dessie - Interview 17 >> Dessie occasionally will have a drink and a snack in the night if she is awake and feeling hungry.

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 >> Women aged 65-74 >> Valerie - Interview 11 >> Val is aware that if she drinks tea after 6 o'clock this may mean she has to get up in the night to go to the toilet.

Valerie often wakes up in the night and can’t get back to sleep. This means she will be very tired by the early evening, but will try not to go to bed too early because she doesn’t want to waste the evening.

Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Men aged 65-74 >> John - Interview 15 >> John tried drinking a milky drink to help him get to sleep, but found that he then had to get up to go to the toilet.

Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Advice to others about getting a good night's sleep >> Advice to others about getting a good night's sleep

Advice to others about getting a good night's sleep

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

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