Recently, Uncle Wang found that he was often sleepy early at night, often falling asleep at 9 o'clock, and feeling that he hadn't slept enough the next day.
Uncle Wang was a little worried, he remembered hearing someone say that sleeping too early for the elderly is not good for health. So, he decided to go to the hospital for a consultation.
Uncle Wang went to the sleep department of a local hospital and found Dr. Liu.
Dr. Liu said, "Uncle Wang, your situation is very common. Don't worry too much. "
Uncle Wang asked suspiciously: "But I heard that going to bed too early at night is not good, and it will affect your health, is it true?"
Dr Lau explains: "There is some truth to this statement, but it is not entirely accurate. Indeed, going to bed too early may miss some social activities in the evening, affecting mood, and may also cause people to miss dinner, leading to low blood sugar and affecting sleep quality. However, for older people, falling asleep too late can be even more detrimental to their health. "
Uncle Wang hurriedly asked, "Why? When is the best time for the elderly to sleep at night?"
Dr. Lau replied, "Generally speaking, it is best for the elderly to fall asleep between 9 and 11 o'clock at night. It's not too early to miss dinner and socializing, and it's not too late to affect the next day's mental state.
Of course, the exact amount of sleep depends on the individual. For example, if you take a nap during the day, you can go to bed a little later in the evening, and if you have something important to do the next day, you can go to bed a little earlier. "
Uncle Wang nodded thoughtfully.
Dr Lau continued, "In addition to sleep time, sleep quality is also important. If you want to sleep well, don't eat too late and too full at dinner, and try to reduce the amount of exercise before going to bed to create a quiet and comfortable sleeping environment. If you often can't sleep at night and your insomnia is severe, you can use some safe sleep aids appropriately, but they should be used under the guidance of a doctor. "
Uncle Wang thanked him again and again, and Dr. Liu's professional explanation reassured him a lot.
Before leaving, Dr. Liu also told him: "Sleep problems in old age are common, but everyone's situation is different. If sleep problems seriously affect daily life, it is important to seek medical attention in time to find out the specific cause and treat the symptoms. "
Many older people suffer from sleep problems and worry that going to bed too early or too late will affect their health. But in fact, the so-called "optimal sleep time" varies from person to person.
Sleep quality is more important than sleep duration. Many factors that affect the sleep quality of the elderly, such as pain, anxiety, frequent nocturia, etc., have corresponding coping strategies. For example, improve the sleeping environment, relax the body and mind, and use drugs rationally.
In general, we should neither take sleep problems lightly nor be overly anxious about sleep problems in the elderly.
Everyone's sleep situation is different, so instead of worrying about the "best time to sleep", it is better to find the sleep pattern that works best for you according to your own situation. I wish all elderly friends can have a healthy and stable sleep and welcome every new tomorrow.