WSJ Saturday had an article on the problems of sleep as you age. Particularly, it outlines the benefits of deep sleep that become less likely as one ages & contributes to higher mortality. Can't help you to access it:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-older-you-are-the-worse-you-sleep-1507903201
Suggested ways to improve deep sleep:
- exposure to light in evening to help avoid dosing off in evening which accentuates sleeping problems later at night. Light delays natural buildup of melatonin that is associated with sleepiness. So read/watch TV in bright room.
- taking "prescription" melatonin regularly to improve our "circadian timing—the body’s internal clock that times our sleep-wake rhythms.".
I don't know how prescription melatonin differs from OTC versions, but I've used it for years for time zone changes & on planes & it seems to help (Since I take it, can't say how I'd be w/o it.). Articles suggest 0.1-0.5mg about an hour b4 u want to go to sleep & that more that 0.5mg may cause other issues like headaches/nausea. No know long-term health effects.
When I take it, I normally do it when I go to bed vs. an hour before simply because I don't remember to do earlier & it will still do it's thing but on a delayed basis vs. bedtime.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-older-you-are-the-worse-you-sleep-1507903201
Suggested ways to improve deep sleep:
- exposure to light in evening to help avoid dosing off in evening which accentuates sleeping problems later at night. Light delays natural buildup of melatonin that is associated with sleepiness. So read/watch TV in bright room.
- taking "prescription" melatonin regularly to improve our "circadian timing—the body’s internal clock that times our sleep-wake rhythms.".
I don't know how prescription melatonin differs from OTC versions, but I've used it for years for time zone changes & on planes & it seems to help (Since I take it, can't say how I'd be w/o it.). Articles suggest 0.1-0.5mg about an hour b4 u want to go to sleep & that more that 0.5mg may cause other issues like headaches/nausea. No know long-term health effects.
When I take it, I normally do it when I go to bed vs. an hour before simply because I don't remember to do earlier & it will still do it's thing but on a delayed basis vs. bedtime.