How does aging affect sleep quality?

The American station WKBN, citing the Cleveland Clinic, reported that aging can be one of the factors contributing to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

Dr. Brian Chin, a sleep medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, said that several factors, including health issues and changes in a person’s sleep-wake cycle, can contribute to these disturbances.

Chin clarified that while some sleep disorders are expected with aging, they should not affect a person’s daily quality of life, emphasizing the importance of informing one’s doctor if they do.

Chin also addressed daytime napping, noting that its assessment depends on each individual’s context. He explained that if napping interferes with the day’s routine, or if a person feels a frequent need to nap or experiences persistent drowsiness, it may indicate a problem with the timing, duration, or quality of nighttime sleep.

Dr. Chin warned against using home remedies, such as sleep supplements, without consulting a doctor, pointing out that these supplements are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and may mask an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.

Signs indicating a sleep problem include persistent daytime drowsiness or frequent need for naps, napping negatively affecting daily functioning or nighttime sleep quality, and reliance on sleep supplements without medical advice, which may conceal an underlying health issue.

Experts in the field stress that changes in sleep patterns with aging are normal, but when these changes begin to affect daily quality of life, it becomes essential to consult a doctor to identify the underlying cause of these disturbances.