Sleep, Healing, and Your Aging Adult
Sleep is a vital part of the daily cycle of life. Many people experience a need for less sleep than other people seem to require, but the fact is that everyone does need restful and recuperative sleep on a regular basis.
What Sleep Does for Your Senior’s Body
Elderly Care Ada, MI: Healthy Sleep for Seniors
Everyone experiences some of the same benefits of sleep. That’s when the body and the brain can rest and reset for the demands of the next day. When your senior isn’t getting the sleep that she needs on a consistent basis, her mood may be off, she may experience greater problems with her health, and she may not be as alert as she normally is. All of that can have a massive impact on her quality of life and her ability to heal from minor illnesses and injuries.
Sleep Is Different as She Ages
Over time, how your elderly family member sleeps doesn’t stay the same as it did when she was younger. She might experience less time in REM sleep, which is when she is likely to get the most actual rest. Your senior may not think about her sleep in that way, though. She’s more likely to notice that she has a tough time getting to sleep or staying asleep now or she gets up later than she used to get up.
Evaluate Current Sleep Habits
When you and your senior realize that she’s not sleeping well, it’s time to evaluate what’s working and what isn’t. Sometimes basic sleep hygiene is the biggest problem. Caffeine or large meals too close to bedtime can be a big issue. Not getting enough regular exercise can also create problems with sleep. If your elderly family member’s room isn’t comfortable or doesn’t promote sleep, she may find it more difficult to rest than she thinks.
Determine What Changes Are Possible
Take an objective look at what’s working and what isn’t. It might be possible that even one or two small changes are enough to help your elderly family member to get the rest and the quality sleep that she needs. Small changes might not feel effective at first, but it’s important to make little changes and wait a bit to see if those changes have any positive impact before making other changes.
Having the right circumstances in which to sort out her sleep issues is crucial for your aging family member. Elderly care providers can help her to manage the rest of her needs so that she can get a handle on what’s going on with her sleep issues.
If you or someone you know needs help with Elderly Care in Ada, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
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