A new study gives us another reminder of just how important sleep is.
The study found that those who get less than five hours of sleep each night in the mid-like years or later are at a higher risk of developing different chronic diseases. Over the course of the study, they found that those who didn’t sleep on an average of more than five hours per night were more likely to develop diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Both men and women were examined in this study, starting from age 50 and up into the 70s. Other factors, such as lifestyle, diet, and more, were taken into account, too. Over 7,000 individuals participated in this study.
If you’ve ever doubted the importance of sleep, hopefully this study helps you to realize that it is actually quite important. Getting a good night’s sleep isn’t always possible, but if you keep in mind just how much it can improve your overall health, it might help you to get a few extra minutes each night by making it a priority.
This study was conducted by The University College in London. They published their findings in the journal PLOS Medicine. While there is still a lot more research that needs to happen concerning sleep and overall health, this is a big step in the right direction. Hopefully, this project inspires future researchers so that even more information about sleep and how it can help improve health is gained.
Sleep doesn’t come easily for everyone. And for those that have sleep difficulties, these can become more pronounced over time. As someone ages, it is easy for sleep issues to grow in severity.
This is one of the reasons why preventative measures can be important. Medical attention can help a wide variety of sleep issues, ranging from CPAP needs, anxiety, muscle or joint pain, and more. There are a lot of reasons why someone might not be getting enough sleep, but working with a doctor and addressing the root causes of the issue can help to alleviate this issue.
It all starts with a good team. Most primary care doctors don’t specialize in sleep. If sleep issues are a concern for you or a loved one, you might start with your PCP but it won’t be them that does the bulk of the work in this area. It will be a specialist. For high quality medical care to take place, you will want to make sure that your specialist and your primary care physician are communicating with one another. Good communication is a hallmark trait of a strong team.
Senior care should be a part of any good team. If you’re looking for care for yourself or a loved one, we’re happy to talk more with you about who we are and what we do. The team approach to care is one that we strongly believe in. It’s certainly not always easy to achieve, but when it’s done well, the rewards are so much better for those receiving assistance.
So, feel free to give us a call or email if you’d like to learn more. We’re here for you.
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