For most seniors, getting adequate sleep is a huge part of health, happiness and a positive mood. Unfortunately, there are a few habits that can negatively impact the quality and duration of an older adult’s sleep.
One of the habits that has a huge impact on sleep quality? Consuming a lot of sugar, especially right before bed.
Let’s examine how eating sugar before bed can impact a person’s ability to get a good night’s rest.
In a study from Frontiers in Neurology, diets low in fiber, high in saturated fat and high in sugar were associated with lighter, less restorative sleep in study participants1.
When you eat sugar, your blood glucose levels go up, causing your pancreas to release insulin. This helps the sugar you’ve eaten be transformed into fuel by your cells. Late-night sugar consumption gives your body a jolt of energy right when you need to rest. You may eventually fall asleep after eating sugary food, but you’re less likely to reach deep sleep.
Deep sleep plays an important role in tissue repair and recovery, immune system function, and memory processing. It also restores energy reserves in brain cells, allowing us to feel refreshed and revitalized in the morning.
Deep sleep is vital for older adults, as many of its benefits are important to living a healthy, active life as we age. Seniors who experience poor sleep quality, lack of sleep or disrupted sleep can experience daytime sleepiness and impaired cognitive function2.
To get the best deep sleep possible, you should limit your intake of high-sugar foods. If you do decide to indulge your sweet tooth, it should be at least a few hours before bedtime.
A 2016 study from Advances in Nutrition found that intake of simple sugars had a negative effect on slow-wave sleep and arousals during sleep3.
Because sugar has a stimulating effect on the brain, eating sugar before bed can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night--sometimes multiple times.
Sleep disruptions, like waking multiple times in the night, can have a negative effect on the quality of sleep you’re getting. Many people find it hard to go back to sleep after waking up, so they lie awake during the hours that they should be getting restful, restorative sleep. This lack of quality sleep can make you groggy, tired and lethargic during the daytime.
Eliminate sugar intake in the few hours leading up to bedtime to reduce the likelihood of sleep interruptions.
Sugar intake before bed can negatively affect the quality and duration of sleep. Lack of quality sleep, in turn, can cause increased blood sugar levels. This vicious cycle is perhaps the most important reason to reduce your sugar intake, not only at bedtime, but throughout the day.
In a study from the Journal of Applied Physiology, chronic sleep loss was associated with an increase risk of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes in healthy younger adults4.
Elderly people
are already at an increased risk of insulin resistance and being diagnosed with diabetes mellitus5. This is due to a combination of factors, including the effects of biological aging, lifestyle factors and environmental factors. Higher rates of senior obesity, lack of physical activity in seniors and biological changes that come with aging contribute to these increased risks.
With this information in mind, it is vital for seniors to maintain good sleep schedules, get daily exercise and maintain a healthy weight.
Adjustments to diet and exercise can help manage overall body weight and decrease the amount of adipose fat on the body, reducing a senior’s risk of developing diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, getting enough high-quality sleep helps regulate metabolism, the body’s process of converting food to energy. A well-rested individual is also more likely to engage in regular exercise because they aren’t so tired.
In turn, regular exercise can improve sleep quality and duration.
Are you concerned about yourself or a senior loved one’s sleep quality? It’s important to establish healthy eating habits, exercise routines and sleep schedules.
In-home caregivers can assist seniors with healthy meal preparation, managing medications and establishing daily exercise habits. A licensed caregiver can also encourage a healthy bedtime and good before-bed habits, such as not eating sugar and turning off devices an hour before bed.
Contact First Choice Senior Care of Arkansas
if you’re interested in in-home care for yourself or a senior loved one.
Sources:
Co-Owner, First Choice Senior Care
Kayla Stephens is the co-owner of First Choice Senior Care. She grew up in Northeast Arkansas, and has worked in rehabilitation, hospice care, managed nursing homes and a large home care agency. She has received several awards for sales and quality achievements in hospice and long-term care.
Kayla believes in advocating for and educating seniors and their families on a variety of topics and issues that impact them. Reflecting on the need for an independent home care provider interested in quality over quantity, she chased her dream of building her own company that would make a significant difference in the lives of seniors, providing a much-needed service in her own local community.
Kayla holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas State University, is licensed by the state of Arkansas as a Long-Term Care Administrator, and is a Certified Senior Adviser.
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