Afternoon nap boosts energy levels in elderly, say experts

LONDON - Experts have suggested that older people who struggle to get a good night’s sleep should consider taking an afternoon nap.

A large proportion of pensioners sleep badly at night, a study has found, and even though they feel exhausted they do not want to have a nap as they think it would be lazy.

However, experts believe a half-hour nap is just what older people need to boost their energy levels and keep them active until bedtime.

“Sleep is central to health and well-being, but as people get older, the quality of their sleep can deteriorate. They shouldn’t feel guilty or think themselves lazy for having a nap,” the Daily Express quoted Susan Venn, of the Department of Sociology at the University of Surrey who carried out the study, as saying.

After decades of deep, restful slumber, many elderly people find their cycles disrupted. They tend to be light sleepers and have shorter sleep cycles than the young. They also toss and turn more, waking themselves up.

The study on 62 pensioners shows the problem is sometimes caused by the need to visit the toilet, causing some people to limit their fluid intake and become dehydrated. Many refuse to talk to their GP about sleep problems as they feel it will waste the doctor’s time or they worry they will be prescribed pills.

The issue will be addressed at the Sleep, Well-Being and Active Ageing conference in Westminster.(ANI)