Five Tips for Seniors to Get Quality Sleep at Night
Has your senior loved one been complaining about their lack of sleep? Do they spend countless hours tossing and turning at night? Do they have trouble sticking to a sleep routine? When your loved ones age, they may realize aches and pains that they never had before, and this can affect the overall quality of their life – and their sleep. As professionals in home health care in Philadelphia, PA to ensure they stay healthy and safe without needing to leave the comforts of their home. These are a few of our suggestions for your elderly loved ones to get better quality sleep at night.
Follow a Schedule
By implementing a schedule into their lives, you can help them to plan their days so that they follow a strict bedtime routine around the same time each day. When this happens, their bodies will naturally begin to get used to winding down around that time, and it will eventually become habitual to fall asleep. Setting a better sleep pattern may be difficult at first but sticking with it will improve your life.
Boost Melatonin Levels
Work on naturally boosting their melatonin levels by avoiding harsh lights at night. The body will naturally produce melatonin, but exposure to too much artificial light may cause these levels to drop. Opt for low-wattage bedside lamp lightbulbs and focus on avoiding screens, like cell phones and TVs, for the hour leading up to their bedtime.
Create a Dark Space
By creating a dark and cozy bedroom for your loved ones, you can promote better sleep habits. To do this, invest in quality room-darkening shades or curtains. Keep their bedroom at a comfortable temperature so they can feel comfortable at night, and also provide them with a sound machine if they enjoy listening to soothing sounds as they drift off to sleep.
Limit Caffeine
Caffeine can cause seniors to stay up later than they want to at night. Because it stimulates the brain, it may lead to tossing and turning, or even just being wide awake well into the night. It is important to avoid caffeine after lunchtime to prevent any issues with decreased quality of sleep.
Get Daily Exercise
When they move their body every day, they will become naturally tired at bedtime. Encourage them to do some light walking or safe activities during the day to get their bodies moving, get their heart rate up, and just maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. Not only will this have physical benefits, but it will allow them to fall asleep faster when they go to sleep at night.
These are a few tips that will help to improve the quality of sleep for your elderly loved ones. As people age, their bodies change, and this can cause their sleep patterns to become negatively affected. If you are having trouble keeping your loved ones healthy as they age, you may want to work with the professionals in home health care in Philadelphia, PA. Contact us to hear about our caregiving services today.