Are you a senior who is looking to get a better night’s sleep? You’re not alone. Many seniors have trouble getting to bed at night, but the good news is there are steps you can take to clean up your sleep routine. Ready for a good night’s sleep? Then start following these simple tips.
Set Your Room Up for Sleep
If you want to get quality sleep at night, focus your efforts to create a comfortable bedroom. Make sure your curtains or blinds block out any light at night. Keep your room cool enough to be comfortable and get a noise machine if you have trouble falling asleep in complete silence. A humidifier helps provide clean, moist air while you sleep. In addition to helping battle dry skin, having a quality humidifier can be especially helpful to those with respiratory issues that make it hard to sleep. Cool mist humidifiers offer certain benefits, while warm mist humidifiers offer others. Read reviews before making a purchase to ensure you’re adding the right one to your home. Lastly, avoid the temptation to put a TV in your bedroom. Watching TV (or any screens) right before bed can make your slumber less restful throughout the night.
Still having trouble drifting off to sleep after taking all those steps? You may need to rethink the colors on your bedroom walls. Believe it or not, the color you’ve selected may be detrimental to getting good, restful sleep, so take a hard look at your bedroom and consider changing things up. So, if you’re using intense colors, consider making the jump to sky/ocean blue, gray, green, or coral. As long as it fosters relaxation, then you’re good to go.
Buy a Supportive Mattress
If you’ve had your mattress for a decade or more, it’s probably time to look into a new mattress. Sleeping on an old, worn-out mattress, or one that doesn’t provide the right support, can cause serious pain in your back and joints. Look for a mattress that will keep you comfortable at night. If you have issues with mobility or have a hard time getting up in the morning, think about a mattress you can adjust to make leaning up and getting out of your bed a little easier.
Update Your Bedding and Pillows
Much like your mattress, your sheets can make a difference in how well you sleep. Itchy or too-warm sheets can make it difficult to fully relax and feel comfortable. Pick up a set that is made of a cooler, softer material that will feel nice against your skin. If your pillows don’t seem to be doing the trick, think about replacing those as well. A worn-out pillow can cause an actual pain in the neck, so you want one that fits your sleeping habits. If you have problems with your joints or other areas of your body, think about using pillows to relieve any unnecessary pressure, or position your body in a more comfortable way.
Get Your Body Ready for Bedtime
You can improve the way you sleep by changing your habits throughout the day. Get enough exerciseto help your body relax faster at night. Also, avoid heavy, unhealthy meals, especially later in the evening. Is coffee one of your favorite beverages? Try to limit your consumption to the morning hours, and avoid all sources of caffeine -- including certain chocolate -- in the afternoon. Still feeling tense? Try taking a warm bath or shower a couple of hours before bed.
Shut Off Your Mind
For many seniors with sleep problems, relaxing their mind is a big problem. One simple way to get those racing thoughts to stop is to get them out of your mind. Start a journal and write down anything that’s on your mind before bed. This sort of brain dump can settle your mind and help you relax into sleep. Feeling extra tension? Try meditating for a few minutes before you begin to wind down for bed.
Know When You Need Help
There are times when meditations and soft sheets just aren’t enough to help you get to sleep. If you’re still having trouble sleeping, it’s time to talk with your doctor. Your doctor can assess the situation and get to the bottom of your sleep issues. You may need medication to help you get to sleep or to relieve any pain that is preventing you from sleeping. Take these medications only as directed and always stay aware of the possible risks and side effects.
Getting quality sleep means more quality of life for you. So make your bedroom an ideal place to sleep and stick to a routine that helps you get the rest you need to stay healthy and strong.
Decisiondata.org has provided an additional resource HERE that will give you more insight to causes of insomnia and helpful information to better sleep.
If you are looking for additional ways to help with arthritis pain, you can find a comprehensive guide HERE from Dr. Andrew Colucci, a current radiologist working to bring more awareness to those suffering with arthritis.
Another area that should be looked at further is the treatment of insomnia, sleeping medications are often prescribed and usually are only given for a brief period. Taking sleeping pills for an extended time can lead to dependency issues, long-term sleep problems, and even abusive usage disorders.
The Addiction Rehab Treatment, and is actively working to raise awareness on sleeping pills and the dangers that go hand-in-hand with abusing it. They have created an in-depth and thorough guide to help educate people further on this topic. Please click HERE to learn more.
Photo Credit: Pexels
Are you ready to take the next steps to healthier sleep and finally have the sleep foundations in place. What would it feel like to wake each day feeling like you are on top of the world from sleeping well at night. If you are ready to take the next steps and have your child headed in the right direction to peaceful and restful sleeping email me at kelley@serenitysleepers.com or head over to my website and sign up for a free 15 minute call.
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