Foreign Media: Decline in Sleep Quality with Age Is Not Inevitable
Many people believe that it's inevitable to have poor sleep as they get older, but experts point out that this view is not correct.
Professor Jason Ellis, director of the Sleep Research Centre at Northumbria University in the UK, said that people in their sixties or seventies may not necessarily experience a decline in sleep quality itself, but various external factors significantly increase the risk of sleep problems, including diseases, side effects of medications, life-changing events such as the death of loved ones, and breathing problems at night caused by weight gain. He emphasized, "The presence of vulnerability does not mean the outcome is set in stone, and not every elderly person is destined to have poor sleep."
Lisa Artis, vice president of the UK-based sleep charity, also pointed out that changes in sleep patterns with age are a normal phenomenon, but persistent sleep disorders should not be simply attributed to "that's just how it is when you get old" and ignored.
Both experts believe that the biggest issue today is the widespread misconception among the elderly that deteriorating sleep is an inevitable cost of aging—like accepting physical pain—which actually hinders people from actively seeking improvement. Maintaining good sleep is still an achievable goal in the elderly stage of life.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859013313145864/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.