Altru’s Department of Sleep Medicine stresses importance of maintaining quality sleep with age – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS – Getting proper sleep is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle for all ages, but it gains even more importance with age, says a physician’s assistant in Altru’s Department of Sleep Medicine.

Christina Brooks, a physician’s assistant at Altru specializing in pulmonology, said maintaining good sleep quality becomes more important with age, as biological factors tend to alter sleep patterns.

“As people age, there tends to be a shift in sleep patterns,” said Brooks. “Oftentimes, they have less overall duration, which leads to more daytime fatigue. This in turn increases your risk factor for sleep apnea.”

As a result, Brooks stresses the importance of practicing what she calls good “sleep hygiene,” denoting a consistent pre-bedtime routine.

“This includes going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, avoiding large meals before bedtime and limiting daytime naps, as napping can affect your ability to fall asleep at night,” said Brooks.

Brooks also recommends abstaining from alcohol for at least four hours prior to bedtime. While she says some people believe alcohol helps them fall asleep faster, it interferes with regular sleep patterns, making it harder to stay asleep.

“Alcohol can cause what we call ‘sleep fragmentation,’” said Brooks. “I’ll have people who suffer from insomnia tell me that alcohol helps them fall asleep, but then they end up having more nighttime awakening.”

Additionally, Brooks recommends limiting the intake of stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine, particularly in the late afternoon and evening hours.

Christina Brooks, physician’s assistant at Altru

According to Altru’s Department of Sleep Medicine, the quality of sleep has a profound effect on general health. Proper sleep boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation and improves work productivity.

Conversely, lack of quality sleep puts people at risk for developing a variety of chronic conditions, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Sleep also is an important regulator of mental health. Therefore, poor sleep quality increases the risk of anxiety and depression.

According to the CDC, some 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders, such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea. Brooks says it is important to recognize symptoms of sleep disorders, including excessive snoring, daytime fatigue and frequent nighttime awakening, in order to seek proper treatment.

“Sleep apnea is a condition that we know worsens with age,” said Brooks. “Obesity is also a major risk factor, so maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise are important.

Brooks said sleep apnea is treated through the use of a CPAP machine, designed to alleviate constriction of the airway, which is the root cause of sleep apnea.

“CPAP is the gold standard of treatment for sleep apnea,” said Brooks. “What happens with sleep apnea, is that the throat narrows, limiting airflow. The machine provides continuous pressure that opens up airways, allowing the individual to breathe freely at night.”

Prior to prescribing a patient with a CPAP machine for home use, they visit Altru’s sleep center for a consultation, which typically entails undergoing a study to track sleep quality.

“If someone comes to us suspecting sleep apnea – they snore, they have excessive daytime fatigue or complain of headaches – they’ll undergo a sleep study,” said Brooks. “The gold standard of sleep studies is in-lab, meaning we monitor their sleep onsite. In-lab studies are particularly useful because of their accuracy, and also recommended for those with comorbidities such as lung disease.”

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