Lack of sleep

Pretty much everybody can be affected by lack of sleep. However, some recent studies showed that it is more common in women (particularly after menopause) and older men, above the age of 60. It seems that as the older we get, the less we are able to sleep - even when we really want to.

However there are certain types of people who are more prone to lack of sleep, so it is good to be aware of that, in case you fall in any of these categories:

• Women suffering from depression
• Frequent travelers, particularly frequent fliers suffering from jet lag
• Students
• Shift workers
• Women in their menopause and in pregnancy
• People using over the counter medications, such as decongestants for their asthma, for example
• ‘Couch potatoes’, referring to people who are sitting the whole day in the office at work, then go home and sit down to watch tv until they go to sleep = total lack of exercise

The reason older people are mentioned is because they suffer more from various conditions which contribute to pain, sometimes quite severe. As these pains tend to worsen over time, the lack of sleep intensifies as well, and it can turn into a full blown insomnia. Reason is because they get prescribed by the doctor strong medications, which make them drowsy during the date, and keep them awake during the night.