5 Ways for Seniors to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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://umcommunities.org/pitman/