Restless Sleep. Can't get a good night's rest?

As the body ages, the circadian clock begins to change. Individuals in their 50s and 60s can experience changes in their sleeping patterns, which can affect their quality of life.

There are multiple factors at play, including the weakening of the circadian rhythms, which control wake/sleep behaviors. Another factor is that most older adults, especially those in nursing homes, receive inadequate light. In one sample of a nursing home, patients received only 1.6 minutes of bright light exposure per day.

How do you know if you are light deprived?

Due to the changes in circadian rhythms and insufficient bright light exposure, many seniors may experience:

• Sleep fragmentation
• Sleepiness early evening and wakefulness in the middle of the night
• Interrupted sleep
• Wandering

How can the 50 plus reset their body clock?

Clinical studies have shown that as we age, we respond favorably to bright light exposure. Depending on the exact nature of the individual’s sleep difficulties, he or she may benefit from 30 minutes of light exposure. The amount of time exposed to bright light is different for every individual. To develop a schedule that best meet your needs, you should seek advice from your health professional.

Bright light exposure is not recommended for individuals with a history of cataracts or macular degeneration, or who have undergone corrective laser eye surgery in the past 30 days.

Usage Information for 50 Plus:

As the body ages, the circadian clock begins to shift back to an earlier schedule, which is why many individuals in this age group report changes in their sleeping patterns, which can affect their quality of life.

One major factor responsible for this is the fact that most older adults, especially those in nursing and retirement homes, do not receive adequate exposure to sunlight. (One study found daily exposure for this population to be as little as 1 minute per day.)

Common complaints among this age group are daytime fatigue, sleep fragmentation, sleepiness in early evening and wakefulness in the middle of the night, interrupted sleep, and wandering.

Older adults typically respond to 15-30 minutes of bright light exposure in the early evening. The Litebook® should be used as part of the normal evening routine: while eating dinner, reading the newspaper, watching TV, etc. This will tell your body that it is still light – and that you still want to be awake and alert – and delay your bedtime until later in the evening.

For some individuals, a second dose of bright light at midday gives them an extra boost of energy to make it through the day.

CAUTION: Bright light exposure is not recommended for individuals with a history of cataracts or macular degeneration, or who have undergone corrective laser eye surgery in the past 30 days.