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Lunabrook Village at Torrington is scheduled to open this summer.
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Now Hiring! We are currently looking to
fill positions at our communities.
EVERBROOK IS HIRING? CLICK HERE
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162 College Highway
Southampton, MA 01073
Lunabrook Village at Torrington is scheduled to open this summer.
Our Professional Referral Program is available for your residents.
Now Hiring! We are currently looking to
fill positions at our communities.
Since older adults tend to need fewer hours of sleep – around 7 hours a night – than younger people, it might surprise you to learn that sleep deprivation can be quite common in older adults. Not only that, symptoms of sleep deprivation can also be confused for dementia in older adults.
Many people are aware that there is a connection between sleep and brain health. The changes in brain chemistry that occur when we don’t sleep leads to impairment of physical performance, decision making skills, and how well we manage our emotions. Poor quality sleep as well as insufficient hours of sleep makes us sluggish, causes muscle tension and physical fatigue, and can lead to changes in appetite and mood. The longer we go without good quality and sufficient hours of sleep, the more imbalanced brain chemistry and hormones become – and that is not good for the brain.
For older adults, who are less physically resilient to the stresses of poor sleep, the effects on their cognitive abilities can be significant. So much so, family members may wonder if their loved on is showing signs of dementia.
Before you start calling assisted living centers about memory care services, you’ll want to carefully observe the sleep habits and behaviors of the older adult you are concerned about. First, you’ll want to understand the different symptoms of sleep deprivation versus dementia:
Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation
Early Symptoms of Dementia
As you observe your loved one for these symptoms, think about their sleep routine. Ask them (or observe):
Make notes based on your observation and talk with your loved one and their doctor about their sleep habits. If helping them get consistent quality sleep alleviates the symptoms you’ve observed, then you know they experienced sleep deprivation. With quality rest, you should see a return of healthy cognitive function.
If the symptoms you’ve observed don’t improve with better quality sleep, dementia may be developing. Now is the time to plan for your loved one’s quality of life as the symptoms of dementia will inevitably worsen.
At Everbrook Senior Living, our exceptional clinical and recreation teams work synergistically to support residents in living a purposeful life. From independent and assisted living to memory care, our programs and services are designed using the latest evidence-based research on aging. Our residents with early to mid-stage memory impairment are surrounded by a compassionate and caring environment – equipped with high-quality amenities designed to support their emerging needs. To learn more about our newly-built, premier communities for older adults, contact Everbrook Senior Living, today.
This month we are celebrating the health benefits of sleep for mind and body! National Sleep Awareness Week is March 13-19, 2022—it’s the perfect time for older adults to learn new ways to improve their sleep routine.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, adult sleep habits were affected in many ways. Some people slept more while others didn’t sleep enough. Many of us were tossing and turning through the night. Additionally, many adults got into some pretty poor sleep habits… staying up late or falling asleep in front of a mobile device.
Poor-quality sleep is detrimental to the health of the brain and the body. In fact, there’s 25 years of scientific research that supports the health benefits of good sleep hygiene for adults (and kids, too).
In order to understand the effects of sleep deprivation on our physical and mental health, scientists study how the brain and body respond when we don't sleep enough.
Insufficient Sleep Increases Risk for Illness
Insufficient sleep increases a person’s risk for chronic disease. When you get less than 8 hours of sleep a night on a regular basis you raise you risk for:
While You Were Sleeping: How Does Sleep Affect Health?
No matter your age, sleep effects brain chemistry and the hormones that circulate through your body. Put another way, sleep influences the functioning of the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems.
When you get sufficient, quality sleep a lot of amazing things happen in your body:
As you can see, sleep affects a lot of what goes in the body and how healthy (or unhealthy) your body can be.
Throughout the lifespan, the amount of sleep we need changes. Also, regardless of age, the amount of sleep you need is influenced by the quality of the sleep you do get, your activity level, and genetics (e.g., some of us really are night owls). Adults typically need 7 to 9 hours of sleep with older adults on the lower end of the range. A very physically active older adult might need more than a sedentary or less active older adult.
5 Tips to Help an Older Adult Develop and Maintain Good Quality Sleep
The following tips can help older adults maintain good quality sleep habits:
The Golden Rule for A Good Night's Sleep: You should only be in bed for two things—sleep and making whoopie! Any other activities performed in bed (reading, computer work, phone calls) can disrupt sleep hygiene.
A good guide for determining your sleep requirement is this: If you do not wake up feeling refreshed, you may not be getting enough, proper sleep.
Stay tuned next month as we'll be discussing how sleep deprivation in seniors can mimic signs of dementia. If seniors can't get better rest, and if symptoms don’t resolve it may be time to consult your doctor, and even consider memory care or assisted living services.
Sources
Gottlieb DJ, et al. Association of Sleep Time with Diabetes Mellitus and Impaired Glucose Tolerance, Archives of Internal Medicine. 2005 Apr 25; 165(8): 863.
King, CR et al. Short Sleep Duration and Incident Coronary Artery Calcification, JAMA, 2008: 300(24): 2859-2866. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19109114
Cohen S, et al. Sleep Habits and Susceptibility to the Common Cold, Arch of Intern Med. 2009 Jan 12; 169 (1):62-67.
Spiegel K, et al. Impact of Sleep Debt on Metabolic and Endocrine Function, Lancet. 1999 Oct 23: 354(9188): 1435-9.