3 things older adults need to change to treat insomnia

According to Olivia Arezzolo, a famous Australian sleep expert, insomnia is not only a personal problem but is becoming a public health crisis, due to many biological factors being disrupted by modern lifestyles.

Expert Arezzolo emphasized that sleep is influenced by three main factors: light, diet and temperature. If these three factors are disrupted, the brain has difficulty determining the appropriate time to rest, leading to a decrease in sleep quality.

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Get out in the sunshine

Light, especially natural light, plays an important role in activating the circadian rhythm. Arezzolo recommends getting at least 20 minutes of outdoor light exposure within 30 minutes of waking up to stimulate the brain to release cortisol, a hormone that increases alertness, according to the New York Post.

On the contrary, blue light from electronic devices in the evening can suppress melatonin - the hormone that causes sleepiness - leading to difficulty falling into deep sleep. Therefore, you should avoid using your phone, computer or watching TV at least 1 hour before going to bed.

Early breakfast

One seemingly unrelated factor is the timing of breakfast, especially in the context of the growing popularity of intermittent fasting. According to expert Arezzolo, eating breakfast within an hour of waking up is a way to set a "landmark" for the circadian rhythm, helping the body's biological clock distinguish between day and night.

She recommends avoiding late-night eating, and maintaining at least a 3-hour gap between your last meal and bedtime to avoid stimulating the digestive system and disrupting sleep. For caffeine, the minimum gap is 8 hours, but ideally, coffee should not be consumed after 12 noon, especially for those who have trouble sleeping, to ensure quality sleep at night.

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Limit snooze button

One notable finding is that the habit of hitting the snooze button in the morning has a negative impact on mental state. Each time the alarm is delayed, it increases the hormone cortisol, which puts the nervous system into a state of hyper-alertness, leading to chronic stress, exhaustion, and difficulty sleeping later.

Arezzolo says establishing a consistent morning and evening routine, including consistent wake-up times, exposure to light, eating breakfast on time, and avoiding stimulation close to bedtime, is key to establishing a solid biological foundation for sleep.

She concludes that many people often turn to sleep aids such as herbs, aromatherapy, or technology, while ignoring the basics. However, as Arezzolo emphasizes, quality sleep cannot be achieved without a stable biological foundation, which is regulated by three key factors: light, diet, and circadian rhythm. Changing your daily routine can be a simple but effective key to improving your sleep in a sustainable way.