Millions of senior Americans suffer from sleep disorders, including insomnia. Here are some ways to help your aging parent sleep more soundly.
How Sleep Benefits the Elderly with Insomnia
Sleeping enough at any age is essential for one’s physical and emotional wellbeing. For those aged 65+, sound sleep allows the body to repair itself, strengthens the immune system, and improves concentration and memory. On the other hand, health problems caused by sleep disorders and insomnia are well documented.
A senior with insomnia is more likely to develop depression, experience attention and memory problems and get injured in falls. A chronic sleep deficiency can also exacerbate diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
Why Do Seniors Have Insomnia?
Due to age-related physiological changes, many seniors have unusual sleep patterns. In general, these are some common causes of insomnia in the elderly:
Stress. Stress induced by a major life event, like losing a spouse or selling the family home, can trigger insomnia.
Causes of Stress in Elderly
A variety of stressors can affect seniors much more frequently and intensely than other people. The most common sources of anxiety for the elderly include health, finances, and social life. In reality, all of these issues greatly tie into each other, as diminishing physical capability in old age can threaten both physical and psychological wellness, financial security, and one’s relationship with others.
Financial Insecurity
Living costs tend to increase with age–a statement probably unsurprising to most. Thinking about increased health care needs, payments for medications, surgeries, and procedures, as well as costs for caregiving and daily assistance account for a long list of financial needs in old age. Even with a retirement fund, unexpected changes can dent savings and cause panic. In addition, it is easy to become overwhelmed when considering payment and debt options, and the concern of being taken advantage of by credit or mortgage companies can cause fear for both seniors and their families.
It is important to acknowledge the potential stressors regarding finances for elderly and retired individuals. Having foresight with this issue before it is too late can help seniors to experience less concern over living costs and the future status of their finances.
Decreasing Sense of Independence
The increasing health needs that come with age also bring the distressing impacts of sometimes drastic lifestyle changes. Often times the most upsetting experience in old age is an increased lack of independence as mobility decreases. Losing one’s independence can often feel like a threat. Older adults may experience the sudden inability to drive, complete household chores such as cooking and cleaning, and in general need extra help in completing tasks that they once used to perform with ease. If you provide care for a senior who may be experiencing some of these shifts in lifestyle, maintaining sensitivity towards their situation can help reduce stress. It is easy to become frustrated by a “stubborn” patient or loved one who is resisting help, but remaining calm and avoiding argument will help avoid unnecessary stress.
Increasing Health Concerns
A growing reliance on others can also lead someone to feeling like a burden. People with growing health concerns tend to worry about whether their own wellbeing is hurting their loved ones, either financially, physically, or emotionally. As an elderly caretaker, it is important to remain supportive of your senior patient or loved one. It is not always necessary to verbally remind them that you want to help them, but acting with patience and understanding will reassure them that the service you provide them is voluntary and that they deserve it.
If you are on the other side of this as an older individual struggling to embrace assistance, it may feel impossible to come to terms with a changing lifestyle, but you can work to alleviate negative emotions surrounding this. You may want to seek out a support group with other elderly members of your community. Finding a place where you can express your frustrations towards your situation can help to work through your emotions and prevent built up stress.
Medications. Some prescription drugs for heart failure, elevated cholesterol or high blood pressure, along with over-the-counter meds for joint pain or inflammation, can cause insomnia.
Chronic pain or illness. Health conditions including arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, benign prostatic hypertrophy and asthma can keep seniors awake.
Sleep disorders. Restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea can also interfere with normal sleep patterns.
Lifestyle choices. Abusing alcohol, napping too much during the day, eating right before bed and a lack of physical exercise are all lifestyle choices that keep aging adults from sleeping.
Sleep Inducers for Older Adults Against Insomnia
Whether they’re having trouble falling asleep or not sleeping enough, here are some ways to ensure that your aging-in-place senior can overcome insomnia and get plenty of rest:
Set the right mood
For many older people, sunlight is a sleep disrupter. Make sure that your senior’s bedroom has room-darkening curtains that block out the sun all hours of the day and night. Further ensure a more sleep-friendly environment by eliminating noise and buying them a more comfortable mattress if their old one is worn out.
Follow a sleep schedule fit for insomnia
Notably for someone with dementia, following a set sleep schedule is important. Encourage your parent to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, and to avoid excessive napping during daylight hours.
Bedrooms are for sleeping
Sometimes too many distractions cause insomnia. Bedrooms are for sleeping and not to be used as a living room or office. Tactfully remove the TV and computer desk from your loved one’s bedroom and find them some good books or magazines to read instead.
Encourage them to exercise
Physically tired bodies crave sleep. Not only will exercising for 20+ minutes several times a week help your parent sleep more soundly, doing so will also benefit them in many other ways. However, they should avoid exercise within three hours of bedtime because the resulting adrenaline rush could keep them from falling asleep.
Create a bedtime ritual
Taking a warm bath before going to bed helps calm down a senior physically and emotionally. Other things to incorporate into your parent’s bedtime ritual include prayer and meditation, reading a book or stretching out their entire body.
In-Home Sleep Assistance for Seniors in Los Angeles
Helping an aging parent get the sleep their body so desperately needs isn’t always easy. When you need a hand contact New Wave Home Care. While serving as an extended family in the home, our experienced caregivers can provide your senior with the sleep assistance that’s needed so they can enjoy a higher quality of life. As a licensed home care provider, we use a unique approach that’s all about compassion and connection, delivered with an added personal touch that allows our clients to experience a degree of joy.
Our compassionate professionals go above-and-beyond in their dedication to providing care for others, while making a difference in the lives of those we serve. We support clients and their families with personalized in-home solutions like personal care, transitional care, specialized care, respite care, medication reminders, dementia and Alzheimer’s care and hospice support.
