THE OLDER CROWD:Get a good night’s sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for feeling refreshed and alert during the day. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to get the restorative sleep they need.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, chronic, long-term sleep disorders affect at least 40 million Americans each year. Left untreated, sleep disorders and the resulting sleep deprivation will likely interfere with social activities and have negative effects on physical and mental well-being.

As stated by the UC Irvine Medical Center, “A solid night’s sleep is a thing of the past, as it is for many older adults who require the same amount of sleep as younger adults — 7 to 9 hours.”

The sleep disturbances we are most familiar with are insomnia and sleep apnea.

Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders reported to physicians. Insomnia is basically poor-quality sleep caused by difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking and waking early, and not feeling refreshed. It may be caused by stress, medications, overactive bladder disorders, jet lag, excessive intake of alcohol or caffeine, unfamiliar surroundings or something that happened during the day to cause one anxiety. Insomnia can be occasional or chronic. Treatments include lifestyle modifications, drug therapies and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Sleep apnea is another very common disorder that causes breathing to stop for periods of up to two minutes. Very often this happens every night. It is usually accompanied by loud snoring. These periods of breathing stoppage can disrupt sleep and deprive the body of oxygen. Sleep apnea can increase the risk of high blood pressure, irregular heart beat, stroke and heart attack.

Sleep apnea can be associated with a history of loud snoring, obesity or physical deformities of the nasal or oral passages that obstruct the airway and can be life threatening. Sleep apnea can be controlled by weight loss or the use of a device that forces air into the nasal passages through a mask that is worn at night.

There are other, less common reasons for lack of sleep, such as restless-legs syndrome and narcolepsy. Medicine might be applicable in these cases.

There are many things you can do to reduce the risk of developing a sleep disorder. Consider making changes to your lifestyle or consult with a doctor to learn how to improve your health by making small changes. You can greatly improve the quality of your sleep and thereby the overall quality of your mental and physical well-being.

EVERYONE IS IMPORTANT

“To the world you might just be one person, but to one person you might just be the world.”

That brings me to the center, where everyone can change his or her life by attending and becoming involved in exercise classes, computer classes, cooking classes, playing bridge and bingo, and many more activities. Or you can enjoy good conversations with friends.

Mark your calendars and bring your family and friends for fundraiser night on May 17 at the Newport Rib Company. Also note that June 16 is a horse-racing outing at Los Alamitos Race Course. Tickets for the horse races are $75 each, which includes the entrance fee, parking, dinner, a program, entertainment and horse racing excitement. For further information, call (949) 645-2356, ext. 16.

executive director of the Costa Mesa Senior Center, writes occasional columns about the center, its members and senior issues.