Maintaining healthy sleep is important at all ages. From the moment we are born and throughout life, being able to sleep well is essential to take care of our health, both physical and mental. However, after age 50 we can begin to experience changes in our sleep patterns.
Sleeping less than seven hours is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, blood pressure, obesity and some types of cancer. Adequate sleep boosts the immune system because it helps fight infections and diseases more effectively.
Furthermore, sleep is essential for memory, learning and concentration and helps regulate hormones that control appetite, weight and mood. The body renews itself during sleep.
Recommendations for sleeping well after 50
Avoid naps
Taking naps during the day allows us to recover energy, but it also takes away hours of sleep at night, which makes them a cause of insomnia. That is why it is recommended to avoid them or reduce them to 45 minutes a day, maximum.
Establish regular hours
It is useful to establish sleep routines that get the body used to responding at certain times. Setting a time to go to bed and a time to wake up, even on weekends, helps the body generate its own habits.
Create a suitable environment
Avoid doing overstimulating activities before bed, such as watching movies or reading. Do not leave lights on in the room or devices that generate noise. It is useful to get the room to a suitable temperature, neither too cold nor too hot.
Avoid some foods
Foods loaded with fat, alcohol and caffeine are usually among those that make it difficult to fall asleep. That is why it is recommended not to eat them in the last four hours before going to sleep.
Do exercises
Physical activity is one of the ways to release the extra energy that we may have left each day. Exercising can generate fatigue in the muscles that helps you fall asleep.
