We could all use a good night’s sleep each and every night. But, for many of us, long and restful sleeps are hard to come by. This is especially true for our older generation. Senior citizens often endure weaker bladders, so they need to get up to use the washroom several times a night. Many others simply experience the aches and pains that are commonplace with advanced ages. For such individuals, taking medication is necessary.
And while meds may help to resolve certain pain-related issues, they can interrupt normal sleep patterns. “Older adults tend to take more medications than younger people and the combination of drugs, as well as their side-effects, can impair sleep,” informs HelpGuide.org, “Your doctor may be able to make changes to your medications to improve sleep.”
So what else can older adults do to get better sleeps at night?
Exercise each day.
For many seniors, this may not seem entirely feasible. However, it’s important to note that light exercise is a healthy choice for people of all ages. By no means would we recommend that older adults take on strenuous workout sessions that aren’t manageable. But some light physical activity provides long-term positive benefits that include getting longer and more restful sleeps at night.
According to Toronto’s C-Care Health Services, seniors should “consider 30-40 minutes exercise sessions, especially for aerobic activities, to release chemicals that facilitate restful sleep. Dance, swim and water exercises, golf, running, cycling, and lawn bowling are all beneficial, but consult your physician before trying a new fitness program.”
Remove clocks from the bedroom.
While this may sound like a weird piece of advice – after all, we all like to know what time it is, don’t we? – clocks can serve as distractions. This is especially true when an individual has trouble sleeping. Continuous glances at the clock only worsen the anxiety that comes with not being able to dose off.
However, you don’t necessarily have to sleep in a bedroom without clocks. Placing your smartphone face down (so as to not see the time) can be helpful. HelpGuide.org, in fact, advises seniors to simply move any of their bedroom clocks out of view. “The light can disrupt your sleep and anxiously watching the minutes tick by is a surefire recipe for insomnia,” the website notes.
Make the bedroom a safer place.
For many seniors, fear is what keeps them up at night. And we’re not necessarily talking about that clichéd fear of the dark – although that may be part of it. Many older adults have decreased senses of strength and balance and therefore, worry about tripping and falling when getting up and out of bed at night.
At Advantage Home Health Solutions, we proudly offer a variety of accessibility devices for bedrooms to ensure senior safety. They include super poles, grab bars, bed rails, M-rails and ceiling lifts. We understand that safety and peace of mind are of the upmost importance to you and your family. You can rest easy that our products will aid you in your everyday activities.
For more information about the bedroom accessibility devices offered by Advantage Home Health Solutions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 403-460-5438. You may also email us by filling out the form on our Contact page!
