Tips for Seniors to Sleep Better
May is Better Sleep Month, so our assisted living community in Camden County, NJ, is exploring some tips and insights to help seniors fight insomnia and get a good night’s sleep.
Why is sleep important?
Getting enough sleep is essential to maintaining our physical and mental health, which is important for every stage of our lives. However, our sleeping patterns change as we age, and we can find ourselves struggling to get a healthy amount of rest. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation says that around 44% of seniors have difficulty sleeping on a regular basis.
When seniors don’t get enough sleep, they can suffer from:
- Depression, memory problems, attention span problems, and tiredness during the daytime.
- Unhealthy weight gain or loss, higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and breast cancer in women.
How to improve your night’s rest as a senior:
- Get active. Regular daily exercise is a great way of getting rid of excess energy and tiring out your body for a night’s rest. It’s also healthy for your body, and significantly reduces the risk of diseases that often affect seniors. Outdoor exercise helps you get essential Vitamin D. Just be sure to consult with your doctor before starting a new exercise regime, and don’t exercise three hours or less before you go to bed, as it could keep you awake.
- Reduce stress. Stress and anxiety lead the causes of sleeplessness at any age, and it can be difficult to deal with worries when you’re lying in bed at night. Whether you need to conquer your worries by making some “To Do” lists or choose to talk to a professional, reducing stress is important for your health. Starting yoga, joining social clubs, participating in your community or getting spiritual companionship and support are also great for reducing stress.
- Look at your medication. Some medications can keep you awake, while others may not be managing your pain effectively. If you are suffering from sleeplessness, speak to your doctor about your current medications and how you are taking them. They may be able to suggest an alternative that won’t keep you up at night.
- Make your room a calm and restful place. You shouldn’t work, read, eat and watch TV in your bed, as this conditions your brain to stay awake while in bed. Rather, keep it a noise- and light-free zone by moving your TV out and not using phones and backlit devices there. Use earplugs or a soothing white noise generator to block out other sounds that may disturb you. It’s also important to keep your bedroom cool, as lower temperatures encourage better sleep.
Visit our beautiful assisted living community in New Jersey
Collingswood is part of United Methodist Communities, a network of assisted living facilities in New Jersey specializing in high quality care and support. Our communities are known for their beautiful settings, spacious residential apartments and wide range of resident services. With qualified and experienced nursing, therapy and management staff on hand to provide expert assistance, residents enjoy all the benefits of independent living for seniors.
To find out more about United Methodist Communities or our assisted living services, please contact us and plan your visit today.
