2023-10-29 09:00:28
Willie B. Thomas / Getty Images An elderly couple waking up.
Willie B. Thomas / Getty Images
Over the years, it is often difficult to sleep in.
SLEEP – The more time passes, the more you wake up at dawn? The many clichés regarding older people getting up before the sun are not without merit: the time at which our body naturally falls asleep and wakes up depends not only on our genetics, but also on the natural aging process.
As we age, our bodies change both internally and externally, which explains much of the changes in sleep that occur over the years. “Like most things that change with age, there is not just one cause, and they are all interconnected”explains Cindy Lustig, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.
So, what are the reasons for this phenomenon? And what can you do to counter it, if you want to get up a little later in the morning? Experts tell us everything.
A brain less sensitive to temporal cues
Earlier wake-up times are part of the natural aging process and this is often linked to an earlier bedtime as well. First reason for this: like other areas of our physical and mental health, the brain becomes less responsive with age.
“It’s likely that the brain’s wiring isn’t detecting and responding to signals as well as it should because the brain ages.”, says Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Sciences at the University of Arizona Health Sciences. This data includes sunset, natural light, meals, social cues and physical activity, which help us navigate the day.
“All these elements are what we call time givers, that is to say they give an idea of the time to the brain”, he explains. In other words, they help the brain settle into the 24-hour circadian rhythm.
So for a young person, dinner time can help the brain understand that bedtime is in a few hours. But for an older person, this connection may not happen.
The nerves that are supposed to give the brain time cues have suffered the same degeneration as the brain, explains Sairam Parthasarathy. This inability to perceive temporal cues partly explains why older people tend to get tired and go to bed before their children or grandchildren. And, therefore, wake up earlier than the rest of the world.
The brightness perceived by our eyes plays a role
One of the causes of these difficulties in interpreting temporal markers seems to be that “vision changes that occur with age reduce the light stimulation our brain receives, which plays an important role in “setting” our circadian clock”explains Cindy Lustig.
Sairam Parthasarathy explains that this is especially true for people with cataracts. This common eye condition can lead to blurred vision, double vision, and general vision problems. “In case of cataracts, evening light does not penetrate as much into the eyes, so that for the brain sunset is earlier than it actually is”explain Sairam Parthasarathy.
Why is it important ? As less light enters the eyes, the body begins to release melatonin (the sleep hormone) earlier than it should. In young people, melatonin “ begins to increase following sunset », explains Sairam Parthasarathy, which explains why we generally feel tired a few hours later. For people who suffer from cataracts, the perception of the sunset is earlier, which makes them tired earlier in the evening. And going to bed earlier means waking up earlier.
What to do to sleep later in the morning?
According to Sairam Parthasarathy, if you struggle with this problem, you should ignore the advice to put away screens and instead expose yourself to bright light in the evening. This might be taking a walk outside before sunset, reading a book on a glowing iPad, installing artificial lighting in your home, or watching TV on a bright screen.
These bright lights will tell the brain that the sun hasn’t set yet, which will slow down melatonin production. To help you stay up a little later (and therefore sleep a little later), Sairam Parthasarathy advises trying to do these things 30 to 60 minutes before sunset. The exact length of exposure to bright light varies and may take some experimentation to find the right one, but he says you should aim for around two hours of exposure – and keep the light on following sunset.
Another piece of advice, this time from Cindy Lustig: avoid drinking alcohol before going to bed, because “ while the latter can put you to sleep, it actually disrupts the quality of your sleep”. She adds that exercise can help you sleep better and that morning sunlight can help your circadian clock follow sunrise and sunset signals.
In short, changes in sleep habits are a part of life. Although some of these factors are beyond your control, you can counteract them by adopting certain habits.
This article is a translation carried out by the HuffPost France editorial staff, from an article published on May 2, 2023 on HuffPost US. Original article to read here.
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