8 Easy Ways to Sleep Better as You Age
If you’re having trouble getting to sleep (or staying asleep), you’re not imagining it. Age can certainly affect sleep for older adults. You may be waking up earlier, feeling sleepy during the day, and/or having trouble dozing off in the middle of the night. Although some changes to sleep are normal with age, there are things you can do naturally to help your body get the rest it needs.
Follow these eight simple tips to improve sleep for better health in retirement communities:
1. Get on a Sleep Schedule
Establish a sleep schedule that you can follow every day (even on weekends). Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day trains your internal clock.
2. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual
Give your body time and cues to wind down at night. Start a bedtime ritual that helps you relax reading a book, listening to music, gentle stretches, and warm baths are all good examples.
Avoid reading the newspaper or watching television in bed, especially if the program involves the news. The more alert you are, the less you sleep. Keep the blue light of phone or tablet screens from interrupting your body’s production of sleep-promoting melatonin by unplugging at least one hour before bedtime.
3. Take Care with Daytime Naps
Cutting back on naps can help. Long or late-afternoon naps will make you less tired at night, making it harder to fall asleep. If you nap, keep them under 20–30 minutes in the early afternoon.
4. Skip the Caffeine After Lunch
Caffeine can have an energizing effect for hours. Avoid coffee, tea, and even chocolate after mid-afternoon. Keep meals light and easy to digest as well. Eating a big, heavy or spicy meal too close to bedtime can cause heartburn and indigestion.
5. Get Your Bedroom Ready for Sleeping
Make your bedroom a comfortable sleep environment. Keep the room as quiet as possible, dark, and at a comfortable, cool temperature. The more comfortable you are with your bedding and pillows, the better you will sleep.
6. Wake up to Morning Sunshine
Spend time outdoors in the morning. Sunlight in the morning helps your body set its sleep-wake cycle for the day ahead. Enjoy your morning coffee outside senior living or take a short walk in the sunshine.
7. Get Active
Getting your body moving during the day also helps with sleep at night. Walk, stretch, do light yoga or swimming, for example. Avoid vigorous exercise in the hour or two before bedtime though.
8. Set Aside Worry
If you’re a worrier, try making a list of things that concern you earlier in the evening, instead of as you try to fall asleep. Slow, deep breathing exercises or listening to guided relaxation audios or podcasts can also help quiet your mind and prepare your body for restorative sleep.
Sleep is important for memory, mood, and physical well-being. Making a few changes in your habits and environment in assisted living Boise can help improve the quality of your sleep. You can wake up feeling refreshed, alert and enjoy better overall health.
