COVER Start sleeping better

Getting older means sleepless nights, right? Wrong! Lizzy Dening has some expert advice to help you diagnose your sleep demons, so you can sleep more soundly. Plus, on page 39 we’re offering 100 readers the amazing opportunity to try an exciting course that could beat insomnia – for free!

It’s frequently said that we need less sleep as we age, but it turns out that’s not strictly true. “Our need for sleep doesn’t change as we get older, but we may end up sleeping less,” says Dr Neil Stanley, author of How to Sleep Well (thesleepconsultancy.com).

And that’s not the only reason you feel sluggish when the alarm goes off: “We often find we lose deep, restorative sleep as we age, which means sleep is less refreshing. So even when we sleep through the night, we won’t feel as well rested as we did when we were young.

“The other main difference is that when children or young people wake up in the night, they generally go straight back to sleep, but this tends to be harder after 50.”

Interestingly, the amount of sleep you need per night is ‘fixed’ in your 20s, according to Neil, so if you were a

Sleep can feel like an elusive beast, but there are simple and often free solutions

regular eight-hour-a-night youngster, that requirement won’t have changed. But, sadly, you may find it harder to

reach that goal as you get older, for a whole host of reasons. Plus, while your sleep need might stay the same, it’s common to find your circadian rhythm changes as you age – meaning you’ll want to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier. “Your sleep naturally becomes lighter and more fragile as you age, so the ideal thing is to try to get as good a night’s sleep as possible, every night,” says Neil. Easier said than done? It’s true that sleep can feel like an elusive beast, but there are plenty of simple – and often free – solutions if you’re struggling with your shut-eye, and we’ve rounded up some of the best.

Step 1: Diagnose your sleep demons

First things first, you can’t solve a problem until you’ve identified it. A big step is working out the ‘new normal’. There may be some changes that have come about naturally as a result of ageing, versus those that need further investigation. “If you’re getting up more than twice a night to go to the loo, it’s worth seeing your GP as there could be simple ways to improve this, and therefore your sleep quality,” says Neil. “Equally, if you or your partner snore or are suffering from sleep apnoea, consider speaking to a doctor.”

Another key question to ask yourself is whether you’re suffering from a chronic sleep deficit, or whether you’re just feeling tired.

While the two might seem similar – and certainly leave you feeling equally muddled and grumpy – they are inherently separate issues.

“Feeling tired or sluggish isn’t necessarily related to sleep,” says Neil. “When you climb several flights of stairs, do you feel like you need to sit down, or like you actually need to have a nap?

“The former suggests it’s more to do with your mood, the latter that it’s a need for more sleep.”

This could indicate an issue, such as insomnia (a frequent inability to sleep) or a level of chronic sleep deprivation (which varies in severity, but essentially means a serious deficit in your sleep). Whatever your issue, here are some tips that could help.

To identify your sleep issue, visit Sleep Hubs (www.sleephubs.com/ Yours). The online check-up is free and takes just one minute and it’ll come back with advice. Turn to page 39 to find out about the chance to try its insomnia course for free!

‘If you’re getting up more than twice a night to go to the loo, it’s worth seeing your doctor’

Seek out space

Do you feel guilty at the thought of straying to the spare room when your partner keeps you awake? It’s time to reconsider. “If you share a standard double bed, you actually have nine inches less space than in a child’s bed,” says Neil. “It’s estimated that a third of sleep disturbances are caused by our sleep partner, and there’s no need to put up with it. Sleeping in separate bedrooms is a completely natural thing to do if you’re not getting enough deep sleep.” If you don’t have a spare room, consider upgrading to a bigger bed if space allows.

Or, at the very least, treat yourself to the odd night staying in the spare room of a friend or family member – alone!

Experiment with naps

“Many people nap because they have the opportunity, but ask yourself, ‘Am I sleepy or am I simply bored?’” says Neil.

“If you give up your usual hour-long nap, there’s no guarantee that this hour will magically add itself to your total night’s sleep. But, if you’re not sleeping well at night it could be worth experimenting. Give up napping for two weeks and see if it helps. If not, you might as well continue napping, if it works for you.”

If you don’t have a spare room, consider upgrading to a bigger bed if space allows