From preschool students to residents of a senior living community, everyone needs a good night’s sleep. Many bodily changes have been linked to aging, and sleep changes are one of them. Despite some health conditions being attached to these changes, other underlying factors like stress, diet, or medications can easily cause changes in your sleeping pattern.
Luckily, there are a few easy ways to improve your sleep and your sleeping habits!
1. Check Your Mattress
Your bed with an Australian Made Mattress is where it all starts. You’re advised to replace your mattress after every 6-8 years. However, depending on the quality of the mattress, some may need to be replaced earlier. It is easy for you to tell when it’s time to replace that mattress. You will also start to see the signs that you need to replace it, like; constantly turning at night, waking up with sore back and neck pains, or having an uneven mattress. If you’ve seen this, then now would be the perfect time to replace that mattress.
Also, as you change your mattress, don’t forget to get some good cotton sheets that help create the right temperature and environment for quality sleep.
2. Watch Your Diet and Eating Hours
Your diet will either impact your sleeping pattern positively or negatively. Therefore, If you’re fond of taking stimulants like caffeine for a few hours to your bedtime or very spicy foods, it could negatively affect your sleeping pattern. Therefore, you are advised to drink water during the day and take your meals in the early hours of the night to avoid sleeping late. Also, if you must take alcohol, take it in the early hours of the night to avoid waking up at night or developing other sleeping disorders.
3. Have a Regular Sleeping Cycle
It is easy for seniors to nap for long hours during the day since they have all the time in their hands. Unfortunately, sleeping during the day may make it harder for you to sleep during the day. Therefore, if you must take a nap, try and make it shorter to about 30 minutes per day, not unless you have any other underlying condition that makes it almost impossible. This way, it will be hard for your sleeping cycle to be affected during the night.
Also, it would be ideal to set regular hours in which you sleep during the night and when you wake up. With time, your brain adjusts to the arranged time; it becomes a daily and constant routine if you make it.
4. Exercise
One of the best ways seniors can take care of their general well-being is by taking up an exercise routine. You don’t need to take up hard training, but one that is best suited to your physical ability. Some of the exercise routines that will also improve your sleep quality include; walking, jogging, or yoga.
Besides exercise helping you sleep, it will also help you deal with stress episodes or depression. Please consult your doctor as they are best suited to help you identify the exercise routine that’s best suited for you.
5. Keep Bedroom Distractions to the Minimum
Bedroom distractions include many things like your phone, TV, or the kind of lighting that you use in your bedroom. You may think that having those blue infrared lights keeps things romantic, but they mess up with the melatonin hormone release, making it even more difficult for you to sleep.
If possible, try to switch off all the distractive gadgets in your bedroom at least 30 minutes before your bedtime and try reading a book under some dim lighting. That quiet environment will help you catch your sleep naturally and faster without having to force it. And if eventually, electronics seem to be a significant distraction in your bedroom, you can get them away from your bedroom.
It is easy to get sleeping pills to help you sleep better. However, you risk getting even more complications since your body is weak and may not easily handle the side effects like a younger person. Therefore, it would be best to use more natural methods to help you correct that wrong sleeping pattern if it exists. It will be both helpful to your mental and physical well-being.
