A good night’s sleep can have positive effects on mental and physical health in addition to your overall quality of life. As a family caregiver, you should develop a schedule that’s easy to follow and doesn’t disrupt your daily activities or your sleeping patterns. Below are some of the things caregivers can do to get a good night’s sleep.
Manage Stress
Being a family caregiver can be a challenging role, but it’s important to avoid chronic worrying and panic. Anxiety and stress could dominate your thoughts during the night, making it difficult to get a good night’s rest. Anger, stress, doubt, and other negative emotions could keep you up at night and lead to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. Learn how to manage stress by developing healthy habits such as managing your time better, following a nutritious diet, getting regular exercise, and engaging with others socially.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your caregiving responsibilities, you don’t have to manage everything on your own. Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted homecare services provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Assisting Hands Home Care is here to help.
Avoid Daytime Napping
It’s important for family caregivers and their elderly loved ones to avoid daytime napping. If your loved one naps during the day, he or she will likely be up during the night. As a result, you’ll also be up tending to your loved one’s needs during the night instead of getting the rest your body needs. Although you should take breaks during the day, you shouldn’t take naps. If you must take a nap, make sure it occurs in the afternoon and limit it to no more than 20 minutes.
Seniors with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia often have trouble sleeping through the night, which can make it difficult for their caregivers to get adequate sleep. Caring for seniors with dementia can be challenging for family caregivers. Luckily, there is Dementia Care Milwaukee families can rely on. Professional dementia caregivers help seniors with dementia stay safe and comfortable at home by preventing wandering, providing cognitive stimulation, and assisting with household chores.
Get Regular Exercise
Family caregivers who are physically active have more energy during the day, which can lower the odds of daytime napping. Regular exercise can also prevent symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea. When your body gets the exercise it needs, you can increase the amount of time you spend in the deep restorative stages of sleep at night. Make time to work out at the gym or at home with your loved one. Even a few minutes of physical exercise each day could enhance your quality of sleep.
Develop a Bedtime Routine
Family caregivers need to have a disturbance-free atmosphere when going to sleep. Turn off all televisions and cell phones. Dim the lights and calm your environment at least an hour or two prior to bedtime. The routine can include taking a warm bath or shower before bed. Also, make sure to avoid eating heavy meals or large snacks before bedtime, and limit the caffeine and alcohol you drink on a regular basis. Although alcohol can help your body fall asleep, it can also increase your risk of restless nights. Developing a bedtime ritual and maintaining healthy habits can lead to a better quality of life.
You can boost your long-term effectiveness as a family caregiver by making self-care a priority, and adding a professional caregiver to your support team can help you accomplish that. The type of Home Care Milwaukee seniors need can vary. Some need assistance a few hours a day, while others require more extensive around-the-clock assistance. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we tailor our care plans based on each senior’s individual care needs, and the plans can be adjusted at any time. We are a trusted provider of respite and 24-hour care, and we also offer specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and stroke care for seniors. Call us today to learn about our high-quality in-home care services.
