Could a Preventative Plan Help Your Senior with Insomnia?
For an elderly family member who is battling insomnia, sometimes formulating a preventative plan is what she needs in order to start getting some sleep. This means that your senior may need to avoid some things altogether or at least make some lifestyle changes.
Senior Care in Manassas City VA: Seniors with Insomnia
Avoid Anything too Exciting Before Bed
Stimulants come in a variety of formats. For example, caffeine is a common stimulant that can keep people awake at night. Another food item that you might not realize can be a stimulant is sugar. Too much sugar before trying to sleep can act a bit like caffeine for your elderly family member. But other exciting activities, such as exercise too close to bedtime, can also keep her awake. Start noticing what acts as a stimulant for your senior so that you can start to avoid those later in the day.
When She Eats Is as Important as What She Eats
You might already be helping your senior watch what she eats, but did you also know that it’s as important to note when she’s eating? Eating too much or too soon before trying to lie down and go to sleep can cause your elderly family member to deal with heartburn or other issues that can keep her awake. Spicy foods can be a problem as well. Light snacks can help your senior fall asleep easier as long as you’re careful about the choices of snack she eats.
Naps Can Actually Cause Problems
Sometimes naps can be helpful when it comes to catching up on sleep. But there is a point of diminishing returns for most people, including your aging family member. Naps that are too long or that are happening too close to bedtime can actually make it more difficult for your senior to get the sleep that she’s trying to get. Try to keep naps on the shorter side and make sure that they’re happening earlier in the afternoon or late in the morning for best results later.
Activities Besides Sleeping in Bed
If your aging family member is having trouble sleeping well, she might need to get strict with herself for a little while about what she does while she’s in bed. It’s not uncommon at all for people to read in bed, to watch television, and to talk on the phone. While those are all normal activities, they can confuse your aging adult’s brain into thinking that bed is the place to be active and alert rather than resting and asleep. Limiting activities for a little while can help to retrain her body and brain that sleep happens there.
Make sure that you work with your elderly family member’s doctor to find anything else that could be keeping her awake. You might also want to ask family members and elder care providers who spend time with your senior when you’re not there to let you know if they’ve noticed anything.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Senior Care in Manassas County, VA, please contact the caring staff at LivinRite Home Care. Call Us Today at (703) 634-9991.
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