On a sleep quality scale of "good," "okay," or "poor," how would you rate the quality of your sleep?
If you're like many older adults, your answer may be "poor." According to a study published in Frontiers, half of older adults experience poor sleep quality.
Unfortunately, it's a significant health concern since good quality sleep is crucial to healthy aging. Underestimating the importance of sleep for seniors is harmful because the body uses this time to restore itself.
The good news is that many ways exist to boost seniors' sleep quality. Join our team at Digby Place Assisted Living in Lafayette, IN, as we explore how to improve sleep in elderly adults.
Some of the most common sleep challenges in elderly adults involve the temperature and comfort in their sleeping environments.
According to MedlinePlus.gov, aging makes it more difficult for the body to control its temperature. For instance, as you age, the fat below your skin may decrease, making it more challenging to stay warm. Your body may also become less efficient in producing sweat, which is crucial to temperature regulation.
So, without optimal bedroom temperature, you may feel too cold to fall and stay asleep during Lafayette's chilly fall and winter nights. In the summer, you may feel too uncomfortable to sleep because of your body's impaired ability to regulate its temperature.
For that reason, one of the most crucial tips for senior sleep quality is to optimize your bedroom's temperature. If you have an HVAC system, set it to a more comfortable level. It's also a good idea to shut window treatments, such as curtains or blinds, before sleeping, as this can help dampen outside noise or block artificial lights.
Screened devices, such as televisions, computers, cell phones, and tablets, emit blue light. As the experts at Harvard Health explain, blue light can affect sleep by messing with the circadian rhythm, the body's biological clock. When the body clock becomes "out of whack," it may have difficulty determining when it's time to sleep.
As such, one of the best sleep practices for older adults is to stop using screened devices one to two hours before bedtime. If you typically watch or read something on your phone before bed, switch to something more relaxing. For instance, you can replace your phone with a physical book, which lets you read without emitting blue light.
A healthy bedtime routine can help you optimize your sleep schedule and improve your sleep patterns.
First, determine when you usually go to bed; consider tweaking it if it's too late. By going to bed a bit earlier, you can fall asleep sooner, not wake up too late, and miss breakfast, the most crucial meal of the day.
Once you've decided on the ideal time to go to bed, follow it as much as possible, even during weekends. Consider relaxing activities before bedtime to help you stay on track with your goals. For instance, you can try the following:
Getting enough exercise throughout the day is one of the best ways to lead a healthier senior lifestyle. Whether walking, hiking, yoga, dancing, or Zumba, these physical activities can help you socialize and keep you fit.
However, regular daily exercise can also help improve your sleep quality. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), such activities aid in improving sleep by:
So, exercise at least half an hour daily to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and boost your overall sleep quality.
However, the NCOA also says that health experts recommend avoiding exercise one to two hours before bed. Since physical activities trigger the body to release energizing hormones, doing them before bedtime can make you feel too energetic to sleep.
What you eat plays many roles in sleep quality, as some foods can help improve it while others can negatively affect or impair it. An article published on the University of Michigan School of Public Health website cites the following links between diet and sleep:
In the same article, the authors mentioned how eating foods like white bread and white pasta for dinner can disrupt sleep. One reason is that these options contain refined carbohydrates, which the body metabolizes quickly. The body may then get hungry during sleep, enough to wake someone up.
For the same reason, sleep quality can also suffer if you experience a loss of appetite. If you don't eat anything and go to bed, you may wake up in the middle of the night as your body craves nutrients.
So, opt for healthier, nutrient-rich food options throughout the day for better, longer sleep. Calories are a must, but consuming them earlier in the day is best. You should also avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol two to three hours before bedtime.
From optimizing your bedroom temperature to minimizing screen use before bedtime and minding your diet, these strategies can help boost your sleep quality scale rating. So, consider following all these tips today.
Moving to a senior living community like Digby Place Assisted Living in Lafayette, Indiana, may also be in your best interest. Here, our residents enjoy access to well-appointed apartment homes with features conducive to sleep, such as HVAC systems and window treatments. We also prioritize our residents' health by encouraging them to participate in our daily physical, recreational, and social activities.
Speak with us today to schedule your tour of our lovely and vibrant community!