CPAP product reviews and other helpful tips for CPAP users!

It's a well-known fact that many of us are sleep deprived. About one-third of Canadians sleep fewer hours per night than recommended for optimal physical and mental health and there's nothing more satisfying than a full night's sleep. But did you know we make huge sacrifices when we scrimp on ‘shut-eye’?

The benefits of solid z’s and enough of them are immediate: you wake up with energy, stamina, improved mood, sharper attention, greater productivity… the list go on. And long term, regular restorative sleep means curbing inflammation in the body, improving gut health, maintaining a healthy weight and sharpening your memory. Healthy sleep habits may even contribute to you living longer.

But while there are tons of factors contributing to how much sleep you're getting (stress, work, kids, pregnancy, alcohol, chronic illness, etc…), nutritionists say don't overlook your diet. Wellness experts have long touted what you eat - and even when you eat - can have a direct effect on your slumber.

Doctors and sleep specialists have long-known the impact sleep can have on your metabolism and hormones and often tout these three important nutrients that, when added to your diet, can vastly improve your overall sleep:

Magnesium

Magnesium is a very important mineral that the body needs to function properly, including for sleep. Doctors may recommend specific amounts of magnesium for help with insomnia and restless leg syndrome. It can also help maintain healthy levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that aids in deep restorative sleep.  Some experts say men should get at least 400 milligrams of magnesium per day, while women need at least 300 milligrams.  You can get it naturally in water, dark chocolate, whole grains, dark-green, leafy vegetables nuts and seeds (like cashews, almonds, flaxseed).  Legumes (black beans, lima beans, edamame) and low-fat dairy products (yogurt and milk) are also good, natural sources of Magnesium.

Fiber

Consuming a high-fibre diet does wonders for your gut and your sleep. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that eating less fiber, more saturated fat, and more sugar - even just one day - is associated with a lighter, less restorative sleep and with more disruptions. This includes more tossing and turning and less deep, uninterrupted shut-eye. 

Aim for approximately 30 grams of fiber per day to set yourself up for overnight success.  High fibre foods include vegetables like: leafy greens, kale, spinach, broccoli and carrots.  Fruit such as blackberries, avocados and apples have tons of fibre.   Same for legumes (such as lentils), kidney beans, quinoa and chickpeas.  Don’t forget: if you are boosting your fibre intake, make sure you stay hydrated otherwise you might have trouble ‘going’ in the morning.

Melatonin

Summary

True or false?

Compared to younger individuals, older adults need less sleep?

If you answered true, you are incorrect! Older adults need an average of 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night - the same as their younger counterparts. Contrary to many misconceptions, the amount of sleep required to stay healthy does not decrease as we age. However, it may be a challenge to obtain all those hours all in a night.

There are notable changes to our sleep as we get older. 50-60% of older adults report they have problems sleeping. In addition to changes in how much we sleep, our patterns of sleep also change. 

As we age, our bodies start to produce less melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that controls the body's natural sleep/wake cycle. It is released in high doses into the blood in the evening to help you feel sleepy and will remain high until the morning. 

As we age, we experience a shift in our internal clock and how our body regulates sleep. The window in which our internal clock enables sleep narrows. This can mean we fall asleep earlier in the evening and wake up much earlier than we want to.

Older adults spend less time in rapid-eye-movement (REM) deep sleep and more time in non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep, specifically in the N1 stage, the lightest phase of sleep.  This means, as we get older, we may experience less satisfying sleep.

Insomnia is common in adults 60 and older. Insomnia includes trouble falling asleep, waking up several times a night or waking up too early altogether. This can be due to the lack of time spent in REM sleep and also as a side effect caused by other chronic conditions such as arthritis. 

The most common sleep disorders that affect ageing adults include Sleep Apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome. Sleep Apnea causes you to momentarily stop breathing - sometimes dozens of times an hour - which prevents the body from entering a deepened state of sleep. Restless leg syndrome is an uncomfortable and uncontrollable leg tingling sensation while you're trying to fall asleep.

Sleep problems often arise, go undiagnosed and untreated simply because many of us believe sleep problems are a normal part of ageing. Luckily, by prioritizing underlying medical conditions, understanding how our sleep changes, and strategizing a good sleep routine and environment, we can all positively improve sleep. It's not all bad news when we age. Sleep improves with retirement. A French study found people were 26% less likely to report sleep problems in the first 7 years of retirement. Vive la difference!