鈥淪leep is actually really important for us all, regardless of your age,鈥� said Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, an associate professor and Canada Research Chair in UBC鈥檚 faculty of medicine.

But it can be harder for seniors to get a good night鈥檚 sleep as we get older.

鈥淎s we age, many of us do start to experience poor sleep quality,鈥� Liu-Ambrose said.

The main problems are difficulty falling asleep, or interupted sleep.

Everyone has a natural circadian rhythm, the cycle that regulates when we wake up and fall asleep every day. It鈥檚 the internal clock that gets knocked for a loop when you travel to a new time zone, resulting in jet lag.

鈥淯nfortunately, as we age, that clock gets a little bit impaired,鈥� Liu-Ambrose said.

Insomnia or poor sleep can, over the long term, make other medical conditions worse, she added.

鈥淚t is really important to protect your sleep.鈥�

The most important ways to do that are to be mindful about your activities in the evening.

Avoiding stimulating activities for two to three hours before bed, including watching TV, or looking at phones, tablets, or computer screens, helps, as staring at the light from screens has been shown to inhibit sleep and damage circadian rhythms.

Some medical conditions may also interrupt sleep, for example by making people get up to use the bathroom frequently. If this is an issue, seniors should consult their doctors.

Another important piece is to get exposure to natural light shortly after waking up, for example by going for a walk outside, said Liu-Ambrose.

Finally, she advised that the bedroom should be comfortable and restful. It needs to be both physically and mentally comfortable 鈥� having a work space within view may remind people of tasks they need to do tomorrow and prevent them from drifting off.

And, of course, the actual bed is a basic consideration when getting to sleep.

One of the big changes in the bedroom over the past few years has been the rise in popularity of adjustable beds, said Cam Blake of McLeary鈥檚 Furniture and Mattresses.

鈥淭here鈥檚 all different types of models,鈥� he said.

Adjustable beds allow the upper or lower part of the bed to be raised or lowered. For years, that type of bed only existed in hospitals, but as the cost has come down over the last few decades, they have become more common in homes, Blake explained.

Some seniors want to elevate their upper bodies while they sleep to help with breathing at night, while others want to elevate their feet to help with blood flow.

鈥淚t鈥檚 quite beneficial,鈥� Blake added.

Regardless of whether someone comes in seeking a regular or adjustable mattress, Blake said the first question he asks is what type of mattress they鈥檝e been sleeping on. For many seniors, it鈥檚 a mattress they鈥檝e had for many years.

Then they can talk about the options available, including pocket coil, memory foam, or natural latex.

Like rubber, organic latex is an organic material that doesn鈥檛 have any coils, foam, or glue, and it works well with the adjustable beds because it bends well.

Some materials work to reduce motion transfer, so people don鈥檛 feel their partner moving or getting up.

The variety of materials and types also come with a variety of prices.

鈥淣ot every senior is looking to spend a lot of money,鈥� said Blake.