In the elderly years, there are numerous things that can affect one’s sleep quality. If you are a family caregiver for your elderly loved one, it may be a good idea to look over these dos and don’t of quality sleep in the elderly years. That way, you can help your elderly loved one to get the best sleep possible. If your senior is needing help overnight and you aren’t able to be there, 24-hour home care can step in and help your senior feel safe and let them focus on getting quality sleep.
Best Tips to Improve Quality of Sleep
There are many different things that senior citizens can do to improve their quality of sleep. Some of these tips include:
- Keeping their bedroom quiet, cool, dark, and relaxing (65 degrees Fahrenheit is a good temperature for most senior citizens)
- Taking electronics out of the bedroom (smartphones, computers, tablets, televisions, etc.)
- Exercising during the day
- Doing something relaxing before going to bed
- Sticking to bedtime routines
- Getting in bed when they are tired, not randomly throughout the day
24-hour home care can help your elderly loved one do these things around bedtime, which should help them to get better sleep throughout the night.
Best Tips for Things to Avoid When Trying to Get Better Sleep
In addition to the tips noted above, there are some things that your elderly loved one should avoid if they want to get better sleep, as well. Some of these tips include the following:
- No caffeine consumption later in the day as it can stay in the body actively for the next 8 hours or so
- No eating large meals later in the evening or snacks too late at night as it can cause higher blood sugar levels and indigestion which keeps people awake
- No taking a nap after early afternoon as that can disrupt nighttime sleep
- No nicotine or alcohol as those affect breathing during sleep and can wake someone up often during the night
If you and 24-hour home care providers can get your elderly loved one to avoid doing these things, it could help to improve their sleep significantly. If your elderly loved one is going to have trouble avoiding these things, it would be a good idea to have them start with eliminating just one of these things at a time. Once they get used to doing that, they can take away something else.
Conclusion
Is your elderly loved one not getting the sleep they need or want? If this is the case, the dos and don’ts mentioned above are great for senior citizens who are trying to improve the quality of their sleep.
If your elderly loved one does the things they are supposed to do and has eliminated all the other things for a while, but still can’t get very good sleep, it may be best if you or a companion care provider took them to the doctor for a sleep assessment. There may be another underlying cause that is affecting their sleep, possibly related to their health.
Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/good-nights-sleep#:~:text=Keep%20your%20bedroom%20at%20a,they%20can%20keep%20you%20awake.
If you are considering 24-hour home care in Katy, TX, for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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