• Topic
• 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

• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Sleep medication, other medication and over the counter remedies >> Sleep medication, other medication and over the counter remedies

Sleep medication, other medication and over the counter remedies

• Clip
• Later life >> Sleep problems in later life >> Women aged 65-74 >> Valerie - Interview 11 >> Val avoids going to the doctor or taking medication for any reason, and would have to be very ill to do so.

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 >> Ronald - Interview 01 >> Ronald was prescribed sleeping tablets to help him sleep during an illness, but didn’t like to take them as they made him feel unwell 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 75+ >> Daniel - Interview 28 >> Daniel has been prescribed sleeping tablets, but will only rarely take them in case he becomes addicted to them.

Daniel is a retired social worker, having spent a large part of his working life with children and teenagers. He was diagnosed with sleep apnoea when his snoring at night was making him feel very drowsy during the day. His sleep is quite broken at night, and he often finds he dozes off during the day.

• 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.