3 Tips to Help Seniors Get a Good Night’s Sleep

A lot of things change as we get older, and that, unfortunately, includes our sleep patterns. We may have once been able to get eight straight hours of healthy sleep each night, but that might no longer be the case as you enter your senior years. Waking up during the night, getting tired at earlier hours, and waking up to start your day much earlier are all common sleep changes that occur.

But there is good news—there are some things you can do to help you get a night of healthy sleep. Here are three tips to help seniors sleep better.

1. Follow a Regular Sleep Schedule

By following a regular sleep schedule, you are training your body to know what time it should begin getting tired and what time it should wake up. Going to sleep at the same time each day and waking up at the same time each day will create this routine. Try to stick to this even on weekends or traveling.

Additionally, developing a bedtime routine, such as always taking time to relax before your bedtime, will help you ease into sleep better. Some ways to do this include reading a book, taking a bath, or simply listening to relaxing music.

2. Set the Mood in Your Bedroom

You want to turn your bedroom into the ultimate sleep zone. To do this, keep your room at a comfortable temperature, ensuring that it isn’t too hot or too cold. Keep it as quiet as possible (except for soothing music or white noise if you need it). As you get ready for bed, use low lighting so it’s not the same bright light you use during the day. Additionally, try not to have much screen time right before bed, such as from your television, tablets, or cell phones. The light from these devices can make it harder for you to fall asleep.

3. Stay Away From Caffeine and Alcohol Too Late

You don’t need to avoid caffeine and alcohol all day (unless it’s due to medical conditions), but try to avoid them in the afternoon and evening. Caffeine is meant to keep you awake. Remember, caffeine can even be found in tea and chocolate, not just coffee and soda. Meanwhile, alcohol makes it harder to stay asleep, as you will likely wake up in the middle of the night once it has worn off.

If you’re struggling to get a night of healthy sleep, the above three tips should help to change that. Getting a good night’s sleep is so important to your overall health. One perk of BridgeWater Assisted Living is that our CarePredict system monitors activities such as sleeping, especially in terms of restless sleeping or increased bathroom activity. If there is a change in a resident’s sleeping patterns, we immediately notice it and can address it to make sure our residents receive the best sleep possible.