Almost 27 years old. It is the time we spend in our lifetime sleeping. An essential rest time for humans, which allows us to grow and record the knowledge acquired. But with age, sleep becomes more interrupted, and its durations shorten. In the show Well done for youDr. Patrick Lemoine, a psychiatrist specializing in sleep, gives us his tips for better sleep as you age.
Take short naps
Because it is an argument that comes up regularly. As you age, it becomes more and more difficult to stay in bed for long. “The older we get, the more illnesses we have, the more pounds we take, we take breathing breaks, we have sleep apnea … And that disrupts sleep”, explains Patrick Lemoine at the microphone of Europe 1. But the sleep psychiatrist reminds us: “In reality, the elderly sleep as long as all active people. Simply, we must not forget to combine naps during the day”.
An important point that should not be overlooked. “A good nap is between 30 seconds and 20 minutes,” he explains. “I am a follower of Salvador Dali’s solution. When he sat in his armchair to take a nap, after lunch. And so, he would put a silver dish on the floor, and he was holding a bunch of keys in hand. And when he fell asleep, the keychain fell and it woke him up. That’s exactly what to do,” says the doctor.
Do not take medication
Another advice for better sleep with age, avoid taking medication. “When you don’t sleep well, you have to avoid a deadly trap, and I weigh my words, which are the drugs”, warns doctor Patrick Lemoine. “Sleeping pills are toxic, tranquilizers and energetics too. And these drugs should almost never be prescribed again except on very specific indications,” he insists.
Alternative advocated by the psychiatrist specializing in sleep: hypnosis. “It’s a really remarkable technique, not only for insomnia but for nightmares. I don’t know anything better than hypnosis. For people, it’s extraordinary. Really, in one or two sessions, the problem is settled”, he adds to the microphone of Europe 1.
Clean his room
Last tip: tidy up your sleeping area. “Often, older people tend to take the bed as a sort of raft of refuge from the nastiness of the surrounding world, but also from isolation. It’s amazing to see what some older people can do in their bedroom. They eat, they receive, they knit, they look at their tablet. It’s not tenable”, he is alarmed.
“It’s true that I am very strict. Your room is made for sleeping or for loving each other. Nothing else. And so, you have to put away and remove all this clutter and you will sleep better”, assures Patrick The monk.