Underlying Conditions
Many chronic health problems can throw a monkey wrench into a sound sleep. These are some of the most common in older age:
Anxiety or depression. Worries or a depressed mood may make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Enlarged prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH). The urge to empty the bladder wakes men with BPH throughout the night.
Chronic pain. It’s hard to stay asleep when you’re hurting. “And it’s a two-way street. Sleep deprivation worsens next-day pain,” Dr. Bertisch says.
Neuropathy. Tingling, numbness, or pain in the hands and feet can cause frequent waking.
Sleep apnea. Loud snoring and brief awakenings during the night may be signs you have sleep apnea, which causes brief pauses in breathing at night and leads to daytime sleepiness.
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