We all have a routine
or ritual we follow before going to bed every night. Some of us wash our faces,
brush our teeth, and go straight to bed. Others need more stimulation like
light reading, meditation, or settling into a comfortable TV show before
drifting off to dreamland. Whatever your routine is, we hope you have found
something that works for you as getting a good night’s sleep has many health
benefits – especially for older adults. If your bedtime routine could use a
little work, our assisted
living associates in Pitman, NJ have put together 5 strategies for
seniors to get a better night’s sleep.
- Make your bedroom a prime sleeping
environment. Your
bedroom should be quiet, dark, cool, and comfortable. Some tips to make
this possible include using earplugs, a sleep mask, and extra blankets,
while turning down the thermostat to a cooler temperature. It’s also
important to designate your bedroom for sleep only. By not watching
Netflix or using an Ereader in bed, your brain will start to associate the
bedroom with just sleeping.
- Perfect your sleeping schedule. Settle into bed at a reasonable
hour. On top of this, try to stick to the same bedtime and wake-up time
every day, even on the weekends. We all have a tendency to stay up later
on weekends, which can derail any prior progress you made to consistently
upgrade your sleep.
- Block out electronic and noise
distractions. We
often become more sensitive to noise, light, and heat as we age. It’s
important to eliminate those sensitivities from impeding our beauty sleep
by making modifications such as removing nightlights, space heaters, and
noisy or bright clocks from view.
- Find your new, soothing bedtime ritual. Instead of getting hooked on a TV
show that might keep you up and reeling at night, look into an activity
that promotes feelings of calmness and relaxation. Some examples are
taking a warm bubble bath, listening to calming music, or performing
meditative yoga before winding down for bed.
- Don’t resort to sleeping medications or aids. Did you know that many sleep aids are not
meant for long-term, permanent use due to their side effects? Sleeping
medications also only provide temporary relief as they do not directly
address and remediate the root cause of insomnia in older adults. Common
root causes of insomnia include poor sleep environment, lack of exercise,
stress, menopause, and painful medical conditions. Once you are able to
figure out the root cause of your sleep issues, you can then take the
proper next steps towards improving your sleep habits.
Prioritizing healthy sleeping habits at Pitman
At United Methodist
Communities at Pitman, our residents sleep easier knowing our associates are
on-site 24 hours a day, every day to assist in every way. UMC at Pitman can
also help residents improve their sleeping schedules by helping them address
any emotional issues and daily stresses that may be the root causes of
insomnia. By identifying these issues, our associates can then help work
towards improving residents’ sleep environments and promoting healthier daytime
habits.
For more information
about our assisted living services at UMC at Pitman in Gloucester County,
please contact us today
or visit our website at: https://pitman.umcommunities.org/
Original content
posted on https://pitman.umcommunities.org/2021/10/19/5-ways-for-seniors-to-get-a-better-nights-sleep/
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