Our In-Home Care Team Highlights The Importance Of Sleep For Senior Citizens

January 14, 2019

We’ve all had bad days that started with a poor night’s rest beforehand. While many adults shrug this uncomfortable experience off and catch up on their sleep later, the causes and risks for senior citizens can be enough to warrant serious concern for loved ones. If you or a family member are not sleeping enough at night, the short- and long-term concerns can be enough to cause everyone to lose some shuteye.

Your Healing Touch is here to provide comprehensive in-home care to elderly citizens across Indianapolis and beyond. Our skilled nurses and personal service providers can deliver exceptional care to address both medical and non-medical needs. We’re passionate about helping our patients achieve the highest levels of health and happiness, and we will work with you to create a plan that works!

Today, we’ll discuss how important a proper night’s rest can be, as well as provide you with a few tips to help you or your loved one sleep better.

What Causes Sleep Deprivation?

Aside from insomnia borne from irregular sleeping habits, aging residents across Indiana can suffer from a wide range of issues that disrupt proper restfulness. If you have noticed that you or a loved one are not sleeping enough at night, it may be due to one or more of the following causes:

• Pain or discomfort — Illness or continual injuries can both make it difficult to fall asleep, and seniors experiencing either or both of these problems likely has a long-standing problem with insomnia.
• Sleep apnea — This problem often results in an obstruction of the airway, causing pauses in breathing. Sleep apnea is a prevalent problem that often goes untreated, and can lead to a variety of other health complications.
• Anxiety — Not being able to calm down can make it hard to rest, and knowing that you have sleep problems can make the entire process more difficult.
• Restless legs syndrome — Some elderly residents complain of tingling or crawling sensations in their legs. Often referred to as RLS, this problem can be treated with medication to help night time comfort.
• Alzheimer’s complications — Many citizens with this disease experience a change in their sleeping habits. Individuals can sleep too much or too little, and experience prfZoblems such as confusion and amnesia, both of which can make it hard to sleep enough.

Your Healing Touch is here to deliver complete at-home care for residents in Indianapolis, and our team is trained to look for the signs and causes of sleep loss. As a registered personal service agency, we can take steps to help your loved one achieve a healthy amount of sleep each and every night.

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Tips to Help You Sleep More

• Maintain a consistent schedule — Hitting the hay at a consistent time can help individuals of all ages fall asleep faster, even when sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings.
• Plan for downtime before bed — Plan on taking some time before you sleep to wind down.
• Keep the room comfortable — Trying to sleep in a room that causes you to sweat or shiver can disrupt your ability to fall asleep. The National Sleep Foundation suggests a nightly temperature between 60 and 67, with 65 being the average for nominal rest.
• Avoid screen time before bed — The blue light from many of our modern devices can disrupt the chemical balance in your brain needed to power down for the night.
• Exercise regularly — Seniors who are more physically active can benefit from a host of benefits, including improved sleeping habits.
• Minimize caffeine and alcohol before bed — Contrary to popular belief, alcohol can disrupt deep sleep, and caffeinated beverages can make it much harder to doze off in the first place.

The Signs of Sleep Deprivation

Not catching enough rest at night can make everyone feel tired and irritable, but for elderly family members, the signs can prove more problematic. Seniors who suffer from sleep deprivation are often more forgetful, and may suffer from new or aggravated memory problems. Lack of sleep can also disrupt metabolic and hormonal balances, adding to the risk of developing depression over the problem. A lack of focus and control can also lead to an increased risk of slips, falls, and other accidents.

It is essential for seniors to sleep at least six hours each night, with eight still standing as the golden standard for most adults.

Call Your Healing Touch Today

In-home senior care has evolved to be more comprehensive and caring than ever before, and our specialists are happy to deliver the ideal level of home care services to ensure you or your loved one receive all of the help needed to live a happy, healthy life. We proudly provide professional health care in addition to in-home care to Indianapolis residents, and we will be happy to speak with you to see if we can help everyone in your family rest easy. Call us at (317) 210-1681 or contact us today to learn more. We look forward to hearing from you!

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