If you are helping your elderly loved one to live their best life, one of the things that you should pay attention to is their sleep. There are many elderly people who aren’t getting enough quality sleep. This can affect their mood, behaviors, stress levels, and so much more. The good news is that there are some sleep hygiene tips that can benefit your elderly loved one.
Getting in a Power Nap
Has your elderly loved one been taking too long of naps? If so, this is probably causing them to not get enough sleep at night. You and their senior care providers should encourage your loved one to take power naps instead. These naps are 30 minutes maximum. Research shows that 20-minute naps, instead of 2-hour naps, can better improve performance throughout the daytime. They can help to keep your elderly loved one more alert, as well.
Get Rid of Vices
Is your elderly loved one a caffeine drinker or an alcohol drinker? If so, and they are drinking these things too close to the time they go to bed, it is likely to disrupt their sleep. Alcohol can make your elderly loved one tired. However, as the body is processing the alcohol, it can wake your loved one up throughout the night. Nicotine is another stimulant that can cause sleep issues. If your elderly loved one is a smoker, it is best for them to quit. However, if they are going to keep smoking, they should stop smoking 2 to 4 hours before they go to bed.
Exercising
Research also shows that getting 10 minutes of exercise (preferably aerobic) can help someone to get more quality sleep. However, it is important to note that your loved one may not want to exercise right before they go to bed. Many people who exercise just before bedtime get energized. This will, of course, make it more difficult for your elderly loved one to get quality sleep.
No Eating Right Before Bed
Whether you or a senior care provider is with them during the hours before bedtime, your loved one should be encouraged to avoid eating at those times. There are far too many foods that can cause your elderly loved one to not get quality sleep. For instance, spicy, high fat, fried, and other types of foods can cause stomach issues. These foods can all disrupt sleep in one way or another.
These are some of the best sleep hygiene tips that you should share with your elderly loved one. You should share them with your loved one’s senior care providers, as well. Encourage your loved one to try these tips to help them get better sleep from this point forward.
Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html