There are many jokes about old people waking up before the sun rises, as well as teenagers' late-sleeping habits. It turns out that there is some truth in these jokes: the time when our body naturally falls asleep and wakes up is not only part of our genetics, but also part of the natural aging process, informs UAINFO.org with reference to TSN.
"Like most things that change with age, there's more than one reason, and they're all interconnected," said Cindy Lustig, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.
Experts analyzed the main reasons why this happens with age and what can be done to get a little more sleep. This was reported by Huffpost.
Like other aspects of our physical and mental health, the brain becomes less responsive as we age.
"It's likely that the connections in the brain aren't picking up ... and responding to incoming signals as well as they should because it's an aging brain," said Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences in the Department of Health Sciences. University of Arizona. These input signals include sunset, daylight, eating, and physical activity, which help determine what time of day we are in.
"All these factors are what we call time clocks, or they give the brain time," he said. In other words, they help the brain understand where it is in the 24-hour circadian rhythm.
So, for a young person, dinner time may help the brain understand that in a few hours it will be time to sleep, but for an elderly person, this connection may not occur.
The nerves that are supposed to give the brain time signals have undergone the same degeneration as the brain, Parthasarathy said. This inability to sense time cues is part of the reason why the elderly usually tire before their children or grandchildren. And, as a result, they wake up completely rested, and even earlier than others.
"Interestingly, one [reason] seems to be that the changes in vision that occur with age reduce the intensity of light stimulation that our brain receives, which plays an important role in 'setting' our circadian clock," she said. Lustig
Parthasarathy explained that this is especially true for people with cataracts, a common eye disease that affects more than 50 percent of Americans age 80 and older, according to the National Institutes of Health. Cataracts cause blurred vision, double vision, and general vision problems.
As less light enters the eyes due to vision problems caused by cataracts, the body begins to release melatonin (the sleep hormone) earlier than it should. In young people, melatonin levels "start to rise after the sun goes down," Parthasarathy said, so you usually feel tired a few hours after.
For people with cataracts, whose brains think the sunset is earlier, they perceive it to be earlier, causing them to tire earlier. And going to bed earlier means waking up earlier.
"There is some evidence that cataract surgery can help improve the quality and duration of sleep by helping these light signals pass," Lustig said.
Some tips to sleep better
According to Parthasarathy, if you have problems with this issue, you shouldn't listen to the advice to avoid screens and instead expose yourself to bright lights late at night. This could mean walking outside before the sun goes down, reading a book on a bright iPad, installing artificial light sources in your home, or watching TV on a bright screen.
Those bright lights will tell the brain that the sun hasn't set yet, causing melatonin production to be withheld, he said. To help yourself stay awake a little longer (and wake up a little later), Parthasarathy said you should try these things 30 to 60 minutes before sunset, depending on the time of year and where you live.
The exact amount of time you should be exposed to bright light can vary and may take a bit of trial and error, but he said you should aim for two hours of exposure — and of course keep the lights on after sunset.
Lustig added that you should avoid alcohol before bed — "while that nightcap may make you drowsy, it actually disrupts the quality of your sleep." Plus, she said, exercise can help you sleep better, and morning sun can help your circadian clock track sunrise and set alarms.
In general, changes in sleep patterns are a part of life. While some of these factors are out of your control, you can also counteract them with healthy habits so you can get the best rest possible.
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