Senior Care: As we age, our sleep habits shift. In their 70s, the typical person sleeps an hour and a half less than they did in their twenties.
Many older folks have difficulty falling asleep at night, awakening often during the night, and finding it almost hard to sleep beyond daybreak. If this sounds like something your senior has been struggling with, it may be time for you and your senior care provider to recommend some exercises for them. Keep in mind that not all seniors can do the same exercises.
Some seniors may wake up as many as three or four times a night and not be able to go back to bed right away. This leads to major fatigue the next day and can affect their moods too. It is important to keep your seniors busy, active, and happy. Of course, you may not be around when you have a full-time job or your own family to take care of. This is when having senior home care can come in handy. These providers can help ensure your senior is taken care of during the day, and simple acts may help them sleep better every night.
Poor sleep is not a normal part of aging. There is a common misconception that as someone ages, they are bound to have abnormal sleeping patterns or poor sleep. That is not true. It is true that as someone ages, their sleeping patterns change. However, every senior should wake up feeling refreshed. If they aren’t, you should ask them what is bothering them most. If it is basic stress and taking care of their home that has them up every night, it is time to invest in senior home care to help out. If it is something else, they may want to consider talking to a doctor who understands the aging process.
Sleep helps seniors think and continue learning, it is an essential part of life that should not be overlooked. Some seniors may not know that poor sleeping habits can be a serious health issue so they leave it out of their doctor's visits. They may chalk it up as side effects of other diseases or health problems that they may face. However, lack of sleep can increase a seniors risk of other health problems.
What Can Help a Senior Sleep?
There is one thing that can help a senior battle injuries, improve health, and ease daily stress. That answer is exercise. Simple walks can help a senior feel grounded in their lives and help them de-stress enough to sleep at night. They are able to burn off excess energy and in return, it helps them relax every night for the proper amount of sleep. Getting the right amount of weekly exercise is crucial for regular restful sleep.
It is crucial that a senior never stops moving. It is the one thing that will keep them healthy for a long time. Exercise will help them gain appetite back, fight injuries, prevent injuries, lower stress levels, and help them sleep nightly. If your senior recently stopped moving and you notice sleeping problems, it is time to encourage them to make a healthy exercise change.
