A recent study indicates that poor sleep is a contributor to the risk of both heart attack and stroke. These are problems that increase drastically within the elder population, and this population also tends to have more sleeping issues than the younger population does. The end result is just one more risk factor that the elderly face, and this increases the amount of care and attention that is necessary for us to keep our older loved ones as safe and healthy as possible.
The study looked at men in lower age categories too, and followed them over the course of 14 years. The 657 men, who were aged 25 to 64, were asked to rank their sleep. Rankings of “poor,” “bad, “ or “very bad” were considered to be risky sleep disorders. These individuals were 2 to 2.6 times more likely to suffer a heart attack, and 1.5 to 4 times more likely to suffer from a stroke over the next 5 to 14 years.
While this study is far from conclusive in its findings, it does present us with some information and an objective. If we know that we have an older loved one with a history of sleep problems, we can be on the lookout for signs of stroke or heart attack more diligently. We can prepare ourselves to spot the warning signs, and know what the basic treatment steps are until we can get them to a hospital. These are small steps, but they could save someone’s life.
One other thing to consider is the fact that you are not with your mom or dad, grandma or grandpa all the time. While you are at work, or out running errands, they might be at risk. This is why in-home care and respite care has become so popular lately. These types of care present a solution to the fact that although a loved one might require or benefit from more help around the house, we cannot provide it on our own. This is the biggest problem that we face with senior health as a whole: there’s just not enough that we can do on our own to keep our older family members safe.
At the very least, this study highlights the fact that sleep is an important part of health–both for younger people and in the senior population. If you are younger now, try to do what you can to improve your sleep habits. This will go a long way toward ensuring that you stay healthier into your elder years. If you have an older loved one, encourage them to try and get a good and healthy amount of sleep. Many seniors do struggle with sleep, and if your parent falls into this category, see what you can do to help them. Consulting with a doctor that specializes in senior health is a good place to start. More information is helpful to improving the care of your loved one and yourself, regardless of where they currently fall on the sleep health spectrum.
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