Quality Sleep and Your Senior
February 17, 2021
Sleep is an important part of health for everyone, but especially for your senior. There are some big things that can start to go wrong for your elderly family member if she isn’t getting as much sleep as her body needs. Here are some of the things you need to know.
The Dangers of Poor Sleep
Some of the results of poor sleep are at the easy end of the spectrum. Your senior might be grumpier than usual, for instance. But if she has been having a tough time with sleep for a while, she might experience mood changes that are more severe, even leading to depression. Poor sleep can also affect her memory and she might be clumsier, which can lead to a fall.
Assess Your Senior’s Sleep Schedule
The first step in helping your senior to solve this problem is to take a closer look at her sleep schedule. Is she getting up late and going to bed late, too? That can create sleep issues, especially if sometimes she needs to be up early but is still getting to bed late the night before. Help her to adjust her schedule so that she has a solid bedtime routine that supports her need for quality sleep.
Track Caffeine and Other Culprits
One of the things that could be creating issues for her is that she may be getting too much sugar or caffeine too late in the day. Keeping a food diary can help you both to spot these issues, and start to make some changes. It’s possible that your senior may be more sensitive to these things now than she ever was in the past, too.
Make Sure Her Bedroom Is Set up for Sleep
How comfortable and ready for sleep is your senior’s bedroom? If she’s got bright lights or her television on while she’s trying to wind down for the night, she’s sending her brain some mixed messages. A bedroom that’s too hot can also be difficult to sleep in. There may be a lot of tiny changes to make that create a much more comfortable sleeping environment for your elderly family member.
As your elderly family member is dealing with sleep challenges, she might find herself needing a little more help. Senior care providers can step in and offer that help for her, and may even help her to troubleshoot her daily schedule a little to finetune it for getting better sleep.
If you or your loved one is looking for Senior Care or Placement Services in San Jose, CA, please call Familiar Surroundings Home Care.
Santa Clara County: (408) 979-9990
San Mateo County: (650) 353-9777
Santa Cruz County: (831) 480-3990