A good night’s sleep for seniors is important for overall health, alertness, and the prevention of accidents. Older adults are advised to get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night. However, many aging people have problems falling asleep or staying asleep.

Key Takeaways:

Quality sleep is crucial for seniors’ overall health and well-being, with experts recommending 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep per night. However, many older adults struggle with sleep issues, often due to factors like insomnia, sleep apnea, pain, or medication side effects. Poor sleep can lead to serious health risks, including increased stress, memory problems, and a higher likelihood of falls and chronic conditions. Maintaining good sleep hygiene and creating a comfortable sleep environment can help seniors improve their sleep quality.

What is a good night’s sleep for seniors?

Older adults need restful sleep each night, so they don’t feel groggy the next morning. A quality night’s rest isn’t just about getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Rather, a good night’s sleep is defined by the quality of sleep—not the quantity.

Sleep quantity revolves around how many hours the senior sleeps. However, sleep quality is how well they sleep. While it’s easy to measure the number of hours the elderly individual sleeps each night, sleep quality is a bit trickier, as it is based less on factual data.

Characteristics that define sleep quality include falling asleep soon after going to bed or within 30 minutes. Seniors who enjoy optimum sleep quality sleep through the night, perhaps waking no more than once. If the senior wakes up, they fall back to sleep within 20 minutes.

Good quality sleep also means the older person receives the recommended hours of sleep per night for their age group—which, as mentioned, is 7 to 9 hours. Plus, the senior who sleeps well feels rested, restored and energized upon waking the next morning.

What are signs the senior is sleeping poorly?

A senior may fail to sleep well, and certain signs can point to this. Poor sleep quality occurs when the older adult takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep after going to bed. If the senior wakes up more than once during the night, it is a sign of poor-quality sleep.

Furthermore, if the senior wakes up and stays awake for 20 minutes or more, it is an indication that sleep must improve. Elderly individuals who do not sleep well feel tired the next day and have difficulty concentrating; they may drink large amounts of caffeine to stay alert.

What are the dangers of poor sleep quality?

A senior who doesn’t sleep well is more likely to feel tired the next day. Along with tiredness, they feel more stressed and angrier than usual. These seniors succumb to emotional exhaustion, irritability, memory problems, and depression. An increased risk for falls also occurs.

The older person may be diagnosed with insomnia, which occurs in half of all seniors. Insomnia can cause a range of issues, such as fatigue and confusion in the elderly. Tension as well as anxiety are likely to manifest in seniors who do not receive enough sleep.

A lack of regular quality sleep can lead to long-term health consequences in the elderly. These include high blood pressure, weight gain, stroke, and heart attack. Geriatric medical providers warn that sleep issues can lead to an increased risk of death in the elderly.

What issues disrupt sleep in seniors?

Several reasons are behind disrupted sleep among seniors. The aging body naturally slows its production of melatonin, the hormone that the brain produces during nightfall to encourage sleep. In addition to age-related changes, seniors in pain or who feel sick find it hard to fall asleep.

Some medications interfere with sleep. Insomnia is a common disorder in people over assistinghands.com/60/”>healthcare professionals.

How do seniors get a good night’s sleep?

Following a regular sleep schedule helps seniors enjoy a quality night’s rest. Caregivers can help the older adult prepare for bed at the same time each night, including weekends. Avoid naps during the day, as doing so keeps the senior awake at night.

Daytime habits can interfere with sleep, such as drinking caffeine late in the day. Seniors who eat large meals close to bedtime have trouble falling asleep. Drinking alcohol, even in small amounts, prevents the elderly from staying asleep through the night.

A nighttime routine also prepares the senior for 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep. Listen to soothing music or read a book. Soak in a warm bath to create feelings of relaxation. Avoid watching unsettling television shows or movies, like horror, that keep individuals awake.

A comfortable, darkened bedroom is the ideal environment to encourage a good night’s sleep. Adjust the temperature so it is neither too hot nor too cold. Low lighting induces sleepiness. Keep the bedroom quiet to induce a state of rest and relaxation.

Sleep hygiene is important to aging well. By reducing habits that interfere with sleep quality and practicing those that encourage good sleep, seniors avoid the hazards associated with fatigue and improve their quality of life. Assisting Hands Home Care is also dedicated to enhancing the lives of seniors.

Our nationally recognized home care agency offers nonmedical care options designed to assist seniors. Care may be scheduled around-the-clock, such as with our 24-hour care, or intermittent, such as with our respite care. We offer care options that can be customized to meet individual care needs.

Professional caregivers rotate shifts when 24-hour care is scheduled. This ensures that each caregiver remains alert and focused on providing continual quality care. Twenty-four-hour care is helpful for older care recipients who live with chronic conditions, certain illnesses, or disabilities.

All of our care services include help with personal hygiene tasks, healthy meal preparation, and grocery shopping. We provide timely medication reminders as well as transportation to medical facilities, pharmacies, and senior centers. Caregivers are also pleasant companions who prevent loneliness.

When your aging loved one needs help falling asleep, Assisting Hands Home Care providers will prepare the bedroom, assist with nighttime routines, and schedule exercise into their day. We serve seniors in The Villages, Florida. Schedule a complimentary in-home consult and learn how elder care can be a benefit.