Not getting a full night’s sleep is draining. For seniors, that might mean they’re up and down all night. Family caregivers might find this disruptive for their own sleep, especially when they’re worried about the seniors they love. 24-hour home care providers can offer a solution to this problem, helping seniors stay in bed overnight and offering assistance they might need if they do wake up in the middle of the night.
Talk About Sleep Routines
Sleep routines can be so helpful if seniors haven’t tried them in the past. These include activities that help trigger the brain that it’s time to wind down and get ready for rest. Seniors who don’t follow even a rudimentary sleep routine can find themselves battling sleeping issues and waking up at all hours of the night. Avoiding heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine a few hours before bed helps. It can also help to develop soothing routines that ease seniors into a full night’s sleep.
Consider Reducing Screen Time
Screen time is incredibly common in modern life. Television shows, books on tablets, and other types of electronic activities are enjoyable for so many seniors. But using these screens too close to bedtime can inhibit the natural production of melatonin, a sleep hormone. Replacing these activities with listening to music, reading real books, or trying some gentle stretches can be a huge help with overnight wakeups.
Make it Easy to Access Nighttime Needs
That children’s book about giving a mouse a cookie has a lot of merit because one small activity can easily lead to another and another. Then, before seniors know it, they’re up in the middle of the night again. Keeping things like a bottle of water, overnight medications, and even a small snack right beside the bed can help seniors to avoid getting up, turning on lights, and waking up too much. If they don’t have to get out of bed to meet a need, they’re less likely to spend that time awake.
Look at Dietary Changes
Diet has an impact on so many aspects of senior health. When seniors eat a balanced diet with enough protein, fiber, and other nutrients they need, they’re more likely to feel better overall. Home care providers can help families plan meals that meet the dietary recommendations doctors give seniors. They can also do a lot of the cooking for seniors, ensuring they eat delicious foods that keep their bodies as healthy as possible.
Plan for Overnight Bathroom Visits
Overnight bathroom visits are one of the biggest reasons seniors might get up and wake up too much overnight. Sometimes seniors make choices like cutting down on fluids all day long to stay out of the bathroom overnight, but that isn’t the best idea. Drinking plenty of fluids and slowing down as the day wears on helps. But it also helps to have an overnight plan, like having 24-hour home care providers there if seniors need additional help.
Keeping seniors in bed overnight starts with having a plan that meets their needs throughout the day as well as at night. 24-hour home care providers can help seniors and family caregivers figure out what might be contributing to these issues so they can make some simple changes.
If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Castle Rock, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare of Parker. 303-953-9924
