Sleep is a very important part of living and as one gets older the attempt to do so without tossing and turning gets harder. For this reason, I have conversed with a number of mature persons as to what makes them sleep better especially at nights. The following are points I have derived from the numerous conversations held.
- Get comfortable bedding for back support. Also, the use of pillows may help promote comfort.
- Keep environs constant. This is especially for the elderly; they react differently to changes in their environs, like always moving from one home to the next or one room to the next. This may prevent them from sleeping well.
- Decrease noise, like shouting, loud music or persons trafficking through the house at rest time.
- Ensure proper preparations for passing urine and stool as needed. The inability to comfortably do so causes great discomfort which prevents sleep.
- Have a warm beverage at bedtime. This promotes better sleep especially in the cold seasons of the year.
- Have a retirement plan. It decreases worry of stress to children or guardian to care for you. Less worry results in better sleep.
- Play soft background music. Some persons find this soothing or calming, a form of distressing at bedtime for a better sleep.
- Take prescribed pain medications as ordered by your doctor to ensure adequate pain relief for a better sleep.
- Have company in the home. This puts your mind at ease knowing that help is available if needed.
- Remove unpleasant odour or sights from sleeping area. These are annoying.
- Have pleasant conversations at bedtime instead of quarrels or horror stories. It puts your mind at ease and promotes better sleep.
- Provide dim lighting or easy, immediate access to same as many persons are afraid of the dark and may get into a panic. The fear of not having light may cause sleeplessness especially at night.
- Wear comfortable clothing to bed that is appropriate for the weather. Being too hot or too cold diminishes the probability of a good sleep.
- Care for personal hygiene, like having a bathe, brushing your teeth before going to bed promotes comfort and thus a better sleep.
Now that you have read these tips, feel free to try them all and see how it works for you, or if you have tips of your own, that you want to share, please do so in comment.
Photo credit:Â iStockphoto
