Unfortunately, there are many people who have diabetes that don’t get very good sleep. If your elderly loved one is having this issue, there are many sleep quality tips that can help them to improve their sleep. The tips below are a great place to start with helping your senior loved one with diabetes get better sleep. One of the most important steps is to bring in 24-hour home care to ensure their safety during the day and overnight.
Getting Tested for Sleep Apnea
One of the best sleep quality tips for people with diabetes is to get tested for sleep apnea. If someone has this health condition, it can negatively affect their sleep in many ways. It can cause them to stop breathing when they are sleep, only to pop up out of bed startled by their lack of breathing. It can cause snoring which can disrupt sleep, as well. Your elderly loved one may be extremely tired in the daytime, too, if they have sleep apnea. If this is a health condition your elderly loved one has, there are treatments that can help them to get better sleep.
Managing Blood Sugar
As you probably already know, people with diabetes need to manage their blood sugar daily. If it is too low or too high, it can cause them to wake up throughout the night. If your elderly loved one is having trouble keeping their blood sugar levels within target, you or 24-hour home care providers may need to help them to do this through activity and meal planning.
Better Sleep Hygiene
Another way that your elderly loved one can improve their sleep if they have diabetes is to practice better sleep hygiene. Elderly adults do need to get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep nightly. Most people with diabetes aren’t getting this much quality sleep. If your elderly loved one isn’t getting the sleep they need, you and home care providers should help them to create sleep habits that help them to fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer. For example, your elderly loved one may need to call you or another family member to vent or talk about their day before bed. This can help to get these thoughts out of their mind before they try going to sleep.
No Electronics Later in the Day
People who are experiencing sleep issues should make sure they aren’t using electronics later in the day. These electronics can cause more sleep issues and other health problems. If your elderly loved one is using electronics later in the day, you or a senior care provider may need to remind them of the damage it is doing to their sleep routine. Maybe, they could trade using electronics in with a healthier, more relaxing activity such as reading.
Conclusion
These are some of the best sleep quality tips for people with diabetes. If your elderly loved one has this condition, hopefully, the tips that are noted here today can help them to finally start getting the quality sleep that they need and want.
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/diabetes-sleep.html
If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Sedalia, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Parker. 303-953-9924
