Older
adults – especially men – tend to develop two kinds of sleep disturbances.
One is
sleep
apnea: Breathing stops for short periods of time and is followed by
loud snoring. The other is nocturnal myoclonus, or restless
legs: frequent jerking motions that sometimes awaken both the jerker and the
person who shares the bed.
Sleeping
with the head of the bed elevated can make breathing easier and discourage
snoring. Since being overweight and drinking alcohol seem to aggravate both
sleep apnea and myoclonus, losing excess pounds and avoiding alcohol can help.
Sleeping pills, too, can aggravate sleep apnea, so people who have this problem
should use other natural ways to get a good night’s sleep.
You may
suffer one or both of these sleep disturbances and not even know it unless your
partner complains – and you should take the complaints seriously.
Sleep
apnea may seem like nothing more than a nuisance, but it can be
life-threatening if left untreated. If you or your partner has this problem,
see a doctor.
Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American
Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com
