‘Don’t worry’ about your sleep patterns

Many older adults worry that they aren’t getting enough sleep, but according to one expert this concern is unnecessary and counterproductive.

Dr Sandra Wheatley, social psychologist, claims that people get more rest than they think they do and stressing about it can actually prevent sleep.

“You will find that by worrying about how little sleep you're having, it can affect your ability to sleep continuously,” she said.

People that historically obsess about their sleep patterns should take steps to alter their way of thinking to address the issue.

Dr Wheatley recommends thinking about each day as a unit of time. This way people can see that they are getting, perhaps, six hours sleep over a 24-hour period, which “can’t be a bad thing”.

A sleep journal is also a great way to track how much sleep an individual gets, and often people are surprised by how much rest they are actually enjoying.

Furthermore, people should think about the quality of sleep that they are getting, as six hours of peaceful and deep sleep is better than eight hours of broken rest.

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