Loveland Senior Care Provider Shares the Importance of Proper Sleep for Seniors

Regardless of age, all adults need approximately eight hours of sleep per night. When seniors don’t get adequate rest, their health can be negatively impacted in multiple ways. As a Loveland senior care provider, we know that this can include confusion, being less alert, and being more prone to falling asleep while driving or performing other important activities. Lack of sleep also increases a senior’s risk of falling.

Causes of Poor Sleep

There are a number of reasons that a senior may not be getting enough sleep or restful sleep. Some of the more common include:

  • Caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol use. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that can make it more difficult to fall asleep. Alcohol may induce drowsiness, but it impacts the brain’s ability to regulate the deeper stages of sleep.
  • Health issues. Conditions like chronic pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hormonal imbalances, and the need to make frequent trips to the bathroom are common.
  • Medications. Many prescription medications can disturb sleep. This includes some used to treat high blood pressure, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and others.
  • Sleep apnea. This condition can have multiple causes, but all result in brief cessation in breathing and then a jarring return to proper respiration.
  • Restless legs syndrome. Also called Willis-Ekbom Disease, this condition causes a person to have periods of annoying sensations in the legs that make it difficult to sleep.

Achieving Better Sleep

As a leader in Loveland senior care, we encourage the seniors we visit with to get the treatment they need for any medical issues. From there, the next step in achieving better rest is to use these sleep hygiene tips:

  • Get more physical activity
  • Use relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, and guided imagery
  • Use your bed only for sleep
  • Get more exposure to natural light during the day
  • Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day to train your circadian rhythm

Having a Loveland senior care provider like Seniors Helping Seniors help you with your tasks can lower your stress level, which can make it easier to sleep. To learn more about our services, contact us for a free consultation today!

We’re honored to provide quality care for seniors by seniors in Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Johnstown, Berthoud, Ault, Firestone, Wellington, Windsor, Frederick, Firestone, Laporte, and surrounding areas.