When a senior sleeps well, it directly impacts their overall health, which is crucial for aging in place. There are some changes in sleeping habits as a senior gets older, but the truth is that no matter what, they should still be getting 7-8 hours per night. Personal care at home can help a senior stay on a nightly routine that may help them get to sleep easier or even prepare some tea for your senior before bed. They provide a lot more than companionship. Personal care at home can prepare tea and foods that may help a senior sleep better. Here are some of the foods you need to know about when you want to ensure your senior sleeps better.

Oatmeal and Milk

You may be thinking that oatmeal and milk are breakfast foods, but the truth is that they can help a senior sleep at night. Personal care at home can help a senior prepare this meal. The best thing about oats and milk is that they can be placed in the fridge overnight in case they want to eat them in the morning with some fruit. Complex carbs are great before bed because they’re rich in calcium and magnesium, which can promote better sleep.

Yogurt and walnuts

Yogurt, both Greek and normal, contains the amino acid tryptophan, which is well known for its sedative effects. Tryptophan is metabolized in the body into sleep-inducing chemicals like melatonin. If you sprinkle some walnuts on top of your yogurt, you’ll receive the extra advantage of magnesium, which has been found to reduce sleeplessness in the elderly.

Eat a Salmon Dinner

Salmon and oysters both provide a high-quality protein that has been shown to improve sleep quality. These foods are not just rich in vitamin D, which promotes restful sleep, but also in omega-3, a nutrient that controls the mood-altering chemicals. Quick and wholesome, these salmon foil packets are a breeze to make. If you want your senior to sleep well, consider making a salmon salad for dinner! This is high protein, low fat, and filling without being a heavy meal before bed.

Are There Foods to Avoid for Seniors?

Diet can have a major impact on sleep. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you get the energy you need during the day, while avoiding unhealthy foods and beverages filled with sugars can help you get a better night’s sleep. Eating a nutritious dinner can help you wind down for the night and fall asleep faster. Eating too close to bedtime can cause indigestion and discomfort that can keep you up at night. Something to consider is that if a senior is drinking any liquid right before bed, it can cause them to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.

A senior should avoid alcohol right before bed because it disrupts sleep stages and may also have an impact on sleep walking. This can be super dangerous for a senior because they may hurt themselves from sleep walking.

Reference
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/better-sleep-3-simple-diet-tweaks
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition

If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Clayton, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

The post Can Sleep Be Impacted by Foods? appeared first on Golden Heart East Bay.

It’s not unusual at all for aging adults to start having trouble getting enough sleep. If that goes on too long, sleep deprivation isn’t far behind. So, what’s causing these sleep problems your aging family member is having and what can you do about them? There might be more you can do to resolve the situation for her, including bringing in 24-hour home care to get through sleepless nights safely.

Simple Aging

Sometimes the sleep problems she’s experiencing creep in just because your elderly family member is growing older. As people age, their habits and routines change. But their bodies and the needs their bodies have also can change a bit. Your elderly family member may find that she simply doesn’t experience sleep the same way she used to experience it.

Health Issues and Medications

There might also be health issues your elderly family member is experiencing that can affect her ability to sleep. Pain, breathing problems, and other health conditions can all make sleeping a lot more difficult than it used to be. If your elderly family member is taking medications, then side effects could be affecting her ability to sleep as well. One way to keep an eye on how your elderly family member’s health issues are impacting her life is for 24-hour home care professionals to be there with her.

Worry, Anxiety, and Stress

It might seem as if your elderly family member doesn’t have anything to worry about, but that’s not the case for anyone, really. Your senior may find that she’s anxious about her health or worrying about people that she loves. Any of these concerns can be enough to interfere with her ability to sleep as well as she would like. Knowing that caregivers are there with her can make a huge difference for you both.

Living on Her Own

As much as your elderly family member might love living on her own, there’s a certain level of angst that goes along with living alone. This can have a big impact on her sleep, including causing her to have significant trouble sleeping. One solution is for 24-hour home care professionals to be there with your senior, to help alleviate any concerns she might have about being on her own.

Lack of Routine

Routines are so important for people of all ages, but they’re especially essential for seniors. Your elderly family member’s routines keep her on target with all of the areas of her life. When she’s not getting enough sleep, her routines suffer. That then becomes a continuing problem because without routines, she’s probably not getting to bed at the right time and she might be getting up too late. All of that can continue to make bigger problems as time goes on. Home care professionals can do a lot to make sure your senior’s routines are easier to keep.

If your elderly family member is still having trouble sleeping, there might be more behind the problem. She should talk with her doctor to see if there are any underlying issues that need to be addressed.

If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Danville, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

The post What Causes Sleep Deprivation for Seniors? appeared first on Golden Heart East Bay.

Sleep is crucial for your senior’s overall well-being, but it might be something that she and you are overlooking. These tools can help them to start to get a better handle on sleep every single night, which can make days better, too.

Adding Exercise to Her Daily Routine

If her doctor clears her to exercise, adding just a little bit of extra movement into her daily routine can be hugely helpful for your aging family member. Muscles and joints need to move and burning off a little bit of energy allows her body to truly rest when she’s ready to go to bed. Starting out with a complex or challenging exercise routine is a bad idea. Start slow and easy. A home care provider can also help your senior incorporate exercise into her daily routine.

Consider How Food and Beverages Might Be Impacting Sleep

What is your elderly family member eating and drinking throughout the day? If she’s getting a lot of sugar and caffeine all throughout the day, she’s likely compounding her sleep problem. Time of day matters, even when she’s eating healthy foods. Start looking more closely at dietary changes.

Create a Plan for Winding Down Before Bed

Having a bedtime routine isn’t just for kids. Adults need to be able to wind down for the night, too. For your senior this might mean reading a book or taking a soak in the tub. She might also enjoy listening to music or trying some meditations before going to bed. Whatever helps her to leave her day behind is helpful.

Talk to Her Doctor about Other Health Issues

It’s also possible that other health issues, and even the medications treating those health issues, is part of her sleep problem. It’s a good idea to bring your senior’s doctor into the equation to get a more thorough understanding of how her health might be impacting her sleep and vice versa.

Keep a Sleep Journal

A sleep journal sounds a lot more complicated than it really is. This is just a small notebook where your senior can keep track of how much sleep she got, how she felt when she woke up, and anything else that she feels pertains to her sleep. This can be a helpful tool in talks with her doctor, too.

Making changes to your senior’s routine can be helpful, and yet leave her feeling a little overwhelmed. Having home care providers available to help as needed and to remind her of her routine can be grounding for your senior.

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Alamo, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

The post Five Sleep Management Tools Your Senior Might Consider appeared first on Golden Heart East Bay.