Lack of Sleep and Aging

We Can't Sleep Well, Can You?

Sleep Pages:

Does Anxiety Affect Insomnia?

How Sleep Affects You

Guided Meditation

Sleep & Meditation

Can't Sleep:

Retired, Anxious, and Can't Sleep? Find Yourself Below...

27%- Retirement Transition: Who Am I and What Do I Do All Day?

26% - No EnergyNo Purpose, No Focus, No Goals:  Just Day to Day Living (bored)

20% - Lonely:  Need Friends

15% - Money: Low Income, Not Enough Savings, Will It Last? 

10% - Health Issues

2% -- Other

Like many of you, my family of seniors don't sleep well. 

I wake up many times each night but do fall back asleep... I simply need more solid deep sleep. My sister-in-law, recently, couldn't sleep at all -- she'd be awake all night long (which makes for a very, very long agitated nighttime). 

As retirees, we have too much time on our hands, especially during these COVID times. We simply must find some new activity, something to focus on, until this is over.

Then, we have this crazy subconscious mind running rampant. This brings you to worry after worry, much of which is not even logical. Add that worry to lots of old programming -- and what a mess. Uggg!

So, one morning, I am up at 4:30 am with Mia, my dog, who woke me up, then falls back to sleep next to me while *I* am wide awake! I'm watching Bob Ross, the deceased painter, on Public TV. I haven't watched him in years1 As I watched and listened, I was seriously lulled by his voice, mesmerized by this painting. 

At the end of this PBS special, they talked about a scientific study about the lure of Bob's voice. They showed fans of all ages, all cultures, speaking about how Bob affected their lives! I was amazed! 

Enter SLEEP STORIES!

Nowadays, there is something called: Sleep Stories (a term I've never heard before). 

Oddly enough, my sister-in-law had asked for a YouTube channel with people reading books to adults... she thought that might help her sleep.  There are plenty of audio books, but they didn't seem to help.

TV wasn't working well as she would hear big bangs, and other startling noises, or the commercial would come on, and it's always a louder volume. 

Boom -- Don't sleep out there, watch us!

Here are a few SLEEP STORY resources to try if you need sleep: 

YouTube for Bob Ross -- He is so softly spoken, and you might find a new appreciation for painting (or even choose to try this yourself)! Bob might be the perfect sleep-noise for you! Some are only a few minutes long, but at the bottom of his page, videos are longer. He has 4.4 million subscribers (despite being deceased for many years now).

YouTube: Bob Ross Painting Videos

You Tube Sleep Stories on CALM -- These stories are read by a super-calming Bob Ross type of voice. You can find Sleep Stories on CALM, scroll down a bit to find the Sleep Stories, You will see some that are an hour-long -- others only one minute (usually fans talking about Calm or Sleep Stories). 

Sleep Stories on CALM

Stephen Fry's 'Blue Gold'  -- This is one I listened to -- so good! On this specific audio below, they say: "Trouble Sleeping? We challenge anyone to stay awake for all 24 minutes of this sleep-inducing masterpiece, Blue Gold, narrated by Stephen Fry and written by Phoebe Smith."

They are challenging us -- try this  one and tell me in the comments if you stay awake past 24 minutes! I'm curious if this doesn't help you sleep.

Stephen Fry's 'Blue Gold'

Sound Machines for White Noise

Click to view on Amazon!  #ad

As I thought more about SLEEP and it's importance in our lives, I decided to take action in a different direction, I ordered several Sound Machines from Amazon. 

This one I purchased as a Christmas gift for my husband, Terry, was the Magicteam Sound Machine.

What I like about this machine is:

  • It's a little heavy, meaning it won't easily get knocked off the side table, when searching for it in the middle of the night.
  • There are only a few buttons along the bottom so easy peasy to operate.
  • There are 20 Sounds: white noise, brown noise, pink noise, blue noise, a fan, brook, rain, ocean, bird and bonfire... so you can choose one that appeals and soothes you. Who knew there were "colors" of noise? Grin! Very subtle differences but you find one for you!
  • You can set for a few hours or continuous, depending on what you want.  We choose continuous and it runs all night long.

I also purchased SonTech White Noise Sound Machine  for my mother and my sister-in-law.

I purchased a white version, not black as shown to the left... doesn't really matter, but just saying.

So WHY not the first choice? Well, several reasons:

  • My 94-year old mother would never find the buttons in the dark, in the first machine. I wanted everything spelled out for her to not frustrate her  (more than she often already is).
  • My sister-in-law was sleeping really badly, so I thought she might need more visible options -- so she didn't hit the volume or a wrong sound in the middle of the night and scare herself. 
  • There are 10 sounds available, so plenty to choose from, and yet, not overwhelmingly so.
  • This machine can be played on a timer, and continuous, like the machine above. 

I was also surprised to read different reasons people use White Noise Machines:

  • Sleep, but also Relax and Focus 
  • Soothes adults and also kids
  • Creates a disturbance free atmosphere
  • Keeps conversations private
  • Blocks undesirable noise

I will begin to use White Noise when I work on my website here... if it brings me FOCUS, that's certainly what this senior brain needs! :)


Are you a good sleeper? Take naps? Have a hard time sleeping?

Share your two cents on sleeping. It's important for all of us. Maybe your two cents, your experiences, will help another retiree!

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Let’s make the best of it! Sleep. 
Hi all, i so enjoyed everyone’s comments and I feel better not being alone! I’m almost 71 and retired 2 weeks ago after 48 years in finance. Actually, …

So Tired 
So I worked for 35 years in a stressful position. I retired in 2020, got bored worked for a bank for 1.5 years and just recently said to myself I'm done. …

Always Tired 
I am three weeks into retirement and wondering what is wrong with me, always tired and fatigued and wanting to sleep. I am nearly 68 and in my health. …

Good Sleeper? Take Naps? Hard Time Sleeping? All of the Above, Lol! 
I think I get enough sleep, overall, for a 75yo working man. After a long day's work, I fall asleep next to my wife, while she's watching TV. Then I …

Too much me (can't sleep, need to declutter, etc) 
Since covid lockdowns I have stopped sleeping at night. Finally, around dawn I fall asleep on the couch. Then I toss and turn on the sofa, end to end, …

Another Resource! 
So, it is 1:17 am and I can't sleep. Watching "Murder She Wrote" and playing on my laptop... while eating Chocolate Mint Girl Scout Cookies and iced tea. …

Retired May 01, 2020 YIKES!!! 
Only drink one cup of coffee per day, don't nap, exercise every day & sleep in separate beds, keep your original wake & sleep schedule as if you were still …

Koiman 
My wife always has a small fan running so she can sleep. She even brings it with her when we are staying in hotel rooms. Wendy: My niece has used …

Whispering Videos 
I also found the Bob Ross shows relaxing. Years ago I would record them (on my VCR) so I could play them back and relax just before going to sleep. …

Brown Noise 
You can download sleep sounds on your phones. Plug your phones in next to your bed and listen to everything from rain on a tin roof to ocean sounds. …

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