Many seniors are becoming all too familiar with the "tired" part of "retired." While many anticipated a new and more relaxing chapter in their lives in retirement, some are finding that a good night's rest is more and more difficult to obtain.
The culprit might be more than noisy grandkids. Experts say it might be the quality of their mattresses.
"Retirees are usually very cost-conscious," said Arthur Grehan, executive director
of the American Innerspring Manufacturers, a nonprofit trade group that provides free information on restful sleep and sleep surfaces. "That leads many of them to try and squeeze a few more years out of a 10-, 15-, or even 20-year-old mattress. It's a recipe for sleepless nights ... and a not-so-restful retirement."
Grehan is not alone in his concern about the sleep patterns of retirees. Dr. Neal Aguillard, director of the Methodist University Hospital Sleep Disorder Center in Memphis, Tenn., says that a good night's sleep is vitally important to seniors.
"They need more time in bed, and they need more sleep overall than younger people," he said.
A lack of adequate sleep, Aguillard said, can trigger a downward spiral in activity levels.
"An older person who is not getting enough sleep, they're going to have less stamina, they're going to have less energy, they're going to do less," he said.
In an effort to turn the tide, AIM offers a number of tips for seniors, including the following:
* Out with the old. There's nothing nostalgic about an old mattress. A new mattress should be purchased every 8 to 10 years.
* Don't break up a good pair. When it's time to get rid of an old mattress, the same is true for the boxspring. Always replace them both.
* Avoid the fads. Besides healthy firmness, innerspring mattresses have something trendy new sleep surfaces don't: the benefit of years of research and testing. Sturdy, well-made mattresses have been through years more rigorous testing than novelty sleep surfaces like waterbeds, foam mattresses, and airbeds.
* Buy size. You'll be shocked at the difference a little room can make. The industry typically recommends a double bed for one person and a queen or larger for two.
To learn more, or to request a free copy of "Rate Your Home for Retirement," a quiz that walks seniors through each room of their home and allows them to score it on ease-of-use and restfulness, call AIM at 1-800-TUCK-ME-IN or log on to www.aiminfo.org. - NU |
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