3 Sleep Signs of Aging

Sign 1: Sleepiness Comes Earlier

Most young people tend to stay up late, often not falling asleep until after midnight. Even if they stay up late, they still feel energetic the next day.

But with aging, the situation changes: many find themselves yawning by 8 or 9 p.m., too sleepy to open their eyes, forcing them to go to bed early. By 4 or 5 a.m. the next morning, they’re wide awake and have trouble falling back asleep.

Why does this happen?

Our brains have a biological clock called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). It regulates melatonin secretion, telling us when to fall asleep and when to wake up.

With aging, the SCN ages, causing melatonin secretion to decrease and peak significantly earlier. Like a clock running faster, this can cause older adults to feel sleepy earlier than younger people and wake up earlier in the morning.

Sign 2: Increased Nocturnal Urination

Many middle-aged and elderly people have to get up two or three times each night to urinate, severely disrupting their sleep continuity.

Why does this happen?

For men, frequent urination at night is often associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The incidence of BPH in Chinese men aged 60-69 is approximately 60%, and it rises as high as 83% in those over 80.

At this time, the bladder’s “outlet” is gradually narrowed, making it difficult to empty urine completely. The bladder is always half-full, and even a small amount of urine can cause the urge to urinate, naturally leading to more frequent nighttime awakenings.

Frequent urination at night in women is primarily due to multiple births or aging, which can lead to a gradual depletion of kidney qi and an inability to retain urine. Just like a faucet that’s not tightly closed, unable to retain large amounts of urine, one must get up at the slightest urge to urinate, otherwise they may leak urine.

For this condition, Suquan Pills, a traditional Chinese medicine that nourishes the kidneys, replenishes qi, and stabilizes urination, can be used according to syndrome differentiation.

Signal 3: Poor Sleep Quality

With aging, many people experience a gradual decline in sleep quality: insomnia and difficulty falling asleep, or shallow sleep with frequent dreams and frequent awakenings. Even after getting enough sleep, they often feel groggy and sleepy. Over time, this can lead to fatigue, forgetfulness, and anxiety.

Why does this happen?

The root cause of these problems is closely related to brain aging. With aging, the areas of the brain that produce deep sleep gradually degenerate and atrophy. This reduces the secretion of the pineal gland, which controls sleep, and weakens the ability to regulate sleep, leading to a natural decline in sleep quality.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Has a Clever Way to Improve Sleep

Finally, I’ll share a simple, at-home sleep-inducing method. About an hour before bed, massage three acupoints to balance yin and yang, calm the mind, and promote sleep.

1. Lightly Poke the Baihui Point:

The Baihui point is located on the top of the head, midway between the tips of the two ears. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the head is the “meeting place of all yang.” Gently tapping this point can help to restrain excess yang energy and encourage it to enter yin, thereby aiding in falling asleep.

●Pinch your five fingers together and gently tap this point 30-50 times.

2. Gently tap the Yongquan acupoint:

The Yongquan acupoint is located in the front third of the sole of the foot, where the toes flex and indent. It is the starting point of the kidney meridian and helps nourish kidney yin, providing a foundation for the potential of yang energy, harmonizing yin and yang, and promoting restful sleep.

●Wash your feet and gently tap the Yongquan acupoint 30-50 times with the palm of your hand.

3. Massage the Shenmen acupoint:

On the inside of your wrist, on the side of the wrist crease closest to your little finger, feel a tendon. The inner side of this tendon is the Shenmen acupoint. It is the original acupoint of the Heart Meridian and has the effect of nourishing the heart and calming the mind.

● Press and rub the Shenmen acupoint vertically along the edge of the tendon for 10 seconds, alternating between the left and right sides 3-5 times.