Tips for Improving Sleep With In Home Care

Sleepless nights and drowsy days- does this sound familiar? Aging comes with its set of problems, one of them being trouble falling asleep.

As a person ages, the sleep habits also need to change as older adults needing 7-9 hours of sleep every day. Issues like trouble falling asleep hamper the sleep schedules, lead to poor diet, and raise other health issues.

Home care services and homecare packages can help in taking care of your elderly relative. Here are some tips for improving sleep in aged persons who are living with home care or home nursing:

Maintaining a schedule: 

A routine for going to sleep will serve older adults well. They should be encouraged by their minders to sleep and awake at the same time every day. The routine should be adhered to even on weekends and vacations. If a regular sleep schedule is maintained, the circadian clock of the body is synced.

Eliminate daytime naps: 

Napping during the day is quite common in the elderly, but it has the detrimental effect of having trouble sleeping at night. Elders should not sleep during the daytime, and many activities can be encouraged to ensure that they do not nap during the day.

Go easy on the caffeine: 

Caffeine is present not just in coffee; but also in soda, chocolate, tea, pain relievers as well as energy drinks. Your elder relative should not consume caffeinated products for at least 6 hours before going to bed. Also, if they smoke, they should not do it before bedtime as it can have a stimulating effect on the nerves.

20 minutes: 

Elders should give themselves 20 minutes to fall asleep. If they do, well and good. If they cannot fall asleep within this time, let them read or listen to calming music till they feel sleepy.

Bedtime routine: 

Caregivers should encourage small bedtime routines so that the body knows that it is time to sleep. Routines like taking a warm shower, knitting, reading a book, or listening to music will help your loved older one to relax before bedtime.

Use these tips to assist your loved elderly relative to relax and have a good night’s sleep.