Sound Stimulations May Help the Elderly Sleep Better

Washington D.C: Disturbed sleep and loss of memory are the major concerns of ageing. With physical changes in our body, our sleep patterns also tend to change as we age. In fact, with age people might find it harder to fall asleep and get peaceful slumber. Insomnia and other sleep disorders are very common age-related problems that people may face. A new study, conducted by the researchers at the Northwestern University, may have found a way to deal with sleep issues and suggests a new technique to help your grandparents sleep better.This latest study suggests that gentle sound stimulations like the rush of a waterfall synced to your brains waves can deepen sleep and also help improve memory in older adults over the age of 60 or more. Getting deep is critical for your memory. The study was published in the Journal of Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. (Also read: How Many Hours of Sleep Do You Really Need?​)
 The researchers call this soothing sound – ‘pink noise’ which is a combination of low and high frequencies. Previous studies have also shown that listening to pink noise may improve memory in young adults too. Experts explain that old people tend to get less slow-wave sleep which may lead to memory loss. The study, conducted on 13 old adults above the age of 60 who spent two nights in a sleep lab, showed that people who listened to the pink noise performed three times better on memory tests.  Soothing music or sounds of nature may actually benefit the body and the brain and thus, helping you sleep better.Experts conclude that more research is required to assess the long-term use and benefit of hearing pink noise that can help in creating a device in the future which can be used at home to regulate sleep.