The time change can have a significant impact on people’s health, particularly in older adults.
This clock adjustment, although it may seem like a minor detail, alters the circadian rhythm, which is the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
For the elderly, these changes can be more difficult to assimilate, and it is essential that preventive measures be taken to mitigate their effects.
As oncologist Verónica Sepúlveda, of the Vilanco Medical Center, points out, “older adults may have alterations in their sleep pattern, i.e., they may find it more difficult to fall asleep, or, on the contrary, they may wake up earlier.
This in turn may make them more disoriented or fatigued during the day.
Being more fatigued, disoriented and getting less sleep can in turn make them less energetic.
This physical and mental exhaustion can be especially dangerous.
“The problem is that some older adults may, especially if they have for example mobility problems or imbalance, have more accidents or falls, by having altered their sleep and rest,” warns the specialist.
To reduce the negative effects of the time change on older adults, it is important to adopt measures that help stabilize the sleep cycle.
The doctor recommends that they “try to keep their daily routine as much as possible in all aspects, especially at bedtime and wake-up time.
Take sunlight during the day.
Avoid the consumption of non-recommended medications that are stimulants of the central nervous system, medications that can activate them a lot, or at the same time make them very sleepy, and also stimulants such as coffee or alcohol”.
It is crucial that older adults are supported in the implementation of these measures, ensuring that their environments are safe and their routines stable.
María José Bastías
Collaborating Journalist Educa Jugando
