Five Reasons Your Senior Might not Be Sleeping Well

Some of the activities your senior engages in help her get the sleep she needs, but some of them might work against her when she’s trying to rest. Here are some of the factors to consider. 

She’s Getting Exercise Later in the Day

Caregiver Falls Church, VA: Seniors and Sleep Issues

Getting exercise is a wonderful tool for your senior’s overall health. It can help her to get the rest she needs, but there’s a catch. If your elderly family member is exercising too late in the day, she’s more at risk of being kept awake because of it. The best way around this issue is for your elderly family member to figure out how to be active a little earlier in the day, preferably in the morning. 

Too Much Food Too Late in the Day 

Eating later in the day, particularly if it’s a big meal, isn’t a great idea, either. This can keep your senior awake because her body uses a lot of energy to digest food. And if she’s eating a little more later in the day, her body is working pretty hard to put those nutrients to use. Your senior may also be more susceptible to digestive issues, like heartburn, that can keep her awake. 

Her Bedroom Isn’t Set up Well for Sleeping 

Your senior’s bedroom factors more into whether she’s able to get the sleep she needs than either of you might realize. If her bedroom is too bright at night or the noises around her are too loud, that’s a problem. She can also have a problem with temperature at night creating trouble sleeping, whether that means the room is too warm or too cool. Figuring out those comfort factors helps a lot. 

She’s Using Bright Screens Late in the Evening 

Blue light from screens, including television and tablet screens, can make it difficult to get to sleep. That’s because the blue light triggers waking chemicals in the body, as opposed to chemicals that help someone sleep. Lots of people watch television right before bed or read electronic books, and those activities might actually make it more difficult to sleep well. Using blue light filters or skipping electronics within a couple hours of bedtime can help. 

One Extra Drink Too Close to Bed 

A nightcap, or an alcoholic beverage, right before bed might be something your senior has done for a long time. But now that she’s older, that one extra drink might be creating trouble for her in terms of sleep. Medications that interact with alcohol or simply changes to how her body metabolizes alcohol can be contributing factors. 

There are lots of things that can interfere with your senior’s ability to sleep well and many of them involve engaging in certain activities too late in the day. Having a caregiver helping your senior during the day can do a lot to assist her in keeping an earlier schedule. 

If you or an aging loved-one is considering a Caregiver in Falls Church, VA please contact the caring staff at Thrive Health Care Services today. (703) 992-0484