7 Reasons Why Someone Over 40 Might Have Issues With Sleep

Here are seven common reasons why someone over 40 might have difficulty sleeping for 6 to 8 hours per night:

1. Hormonal changes:  Shifts in our hormones can occur, particularly for women during perimenopause and menopause, and for men during andropause. These changes can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing fragmented sleep.  Resetting your metabolism can restore balance in your hormones leading to quality sleep.
2. Stress and anxiety: Increased responsibilities, work pressures, family obligations, and other life stressors can contribute to elevated stress levels. Anxiety and racing thoughts can make it challenging to achieve a restful sleep, causing difficulty in sleeping for the desired duration.  Strength and metabolic exercises can help balance cortisol levels making it easier to get a restful night’s sleep.
3. Sleep disorders: Certain sleep disorders become more prevalent with poor diet and lack of movement. Conditions like sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, or insomnia can disrupt sleep and prevent individuals from attaining the recommended 6 to 8 hours of sleep.  Getting on a regular exercise program that targets your mitochondria and metabolism are shown to be preventative of these types of conditions.
4. Medications and health conditions: Certain medications or underlying health conditions can interfere with sleep quality and duration. Chronic pain, arthritis, acid reflux, asthma, or mood disorders like depression can impact sleep, leading to sleep difficulties for individuals over 40.  Doing movements, stretching and exercises that boost metabolism have been shown to relieve and liberate the body of these health conditions.
5. Lifestyle factors: Unhealthy lifestyle habits can affect sleep duration and quality. Irregular sleep schedules, excessive alcohol or caffeine consumption, lack of exercise, poor diet, and excessive screen time before bed can disrupt sleep patterns and make it difficult to achieve a full night’s rest.  Learning how to re-pattern your habits is an important part of health.  Our programs give you the guidelines to follow.
6. Environmental factors: The sleep environment plays a crucial role in sleep quality. Factors like excessive noise, uncomfortable bedding or pillows, improper room temperature, excessive light, or disruptions from partners or pets can hinder a person’s ability to sleep for the desired duration.
7. Age-related patterns: As we age, if we allow our body to lose muscle, our natural sleep-wake cycle may shift, leading to less quality sleep.  This can result in difficulties in obtaining a consistent 6 to 8 hours of sleep, as sleep patterns can change with age related patterns.

It’s important to remember that these reasons are not exclusive to individuals over 40 and can affect people of different age groups as well. If sleep difficulties persist or significantly impact daily life, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional for a comprehensive evaluation and appropriate guidance tailored to individual circumstances.