How To Help Seniors Sleep Better At Night

“As we age, we often experience normal changes in our sleeping patterns, such as becoming sleepy earlier, waking up earlier, or experiencing less deep sleep,” reports HelpGuide.org, “However, disturbed sleep, waking up tired every day, and other symptoms of insomnia are not a normal part of aging. Sleep is just as important to your physical and emotional health as it was when you were younger.”

Evidently, it’s important for older adults to get adequate sleep. What can be done to help seniors sleep better at night?

Keep Gadgets and Screens Out of the Bedroom

We’re all guilty of filling our bedrooms with plenty of distractions. Televisions, smartphones, and tablets are widely used to keep us watching our favorite shows and movies. However, bringing these devices into the bedroom only prevents us from getting the adequate sleep we need each night. For seniors, keeping gadgets and screens out of the bedroom is important to ensure they get enough hours of sleep each night.

“From smartphones to TVs to laptops, both what they show you and how their ‘blue’ light influences your brain can interfere with sleep,” informs Kara Gavin on behalf of Michigan Health.

Be Mindful of the Impact of Medications

Older adults are often tasked with managing a myriad of medications. Their various health ailments don’t make getting a good night’s sleep very easy. However, the medicines they are required to take in order to manage those ailments can often make getting good sleep even harder. Speak to a doctor about any and all side effects that result from your prescription medications.

“Older adults tend to take more medications than younger people, and the combination of drugs, as well as their side effects, can impair sleep,” notes HelpGuide.org, “Your doctor may be able to make changes to your medications to improve sleep.”

Take a Warm Bath Before Bed

A warm bath provides a very soothing and calming experience. It can work wonders in helping older adults get the relaxation they need to begin restful nights. In addition, the clean and fresh feeling of just having exited a bath can help with a senior’s state of calm. It’s just the thing needed to get a good night’s sleep. In fact, as Colorado’s Touching Hearts At Home reports, studies have found that taking a warm bath can help people to fall asleep more quickly. 

“Scientists say the reason a warm bath or shower helps with sleep is because the body naturally starts to lower in temperature about one or two hours before the person normally goes to sleep,” reveals their website, “Taking a warm bath or shower moves this process along by affecting circulation, bringing blood from the inner part of the body closer to the skin where it cools, bringing body temperature down.” 

At Forward Day, We’re Mindful of the Importance of Warm Baths

We also know how difficult it can be for older adults to get into traditional bathtubs. When we came up with the Shower Bay portable shower, we had both seniors and individuals with mobility issues in mind. Keeping wheelchair users comfortable is a big part of our mandate. Shower Bay enables them to enter with their shower wheelchairs for safe and comfortable shower experiences. 

For more information about how these revolutionary portable showers can help seniors sleep better at night, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-877-593-4461 or email us at info@showerbay.com.