3 Sleep Tips for the Elderly

Posted on June 2, 2008 in Latest News

Sleep is as essential to the aged as it is to the young blood. Old people may suffer from sleeplessness due to reasons different from those of the young. The sleep disturbing factors in the case of the elderly include illnesses, drug intake, frequent awakenings for urination etc. Here are some tips to the aged to get better sleep during the night:

Get Sunshine: Go out into the natural sunshine each day, as late in the day as possible. Sunlight shoots down the optic nerve into the brain, where it triggers brain chemicals that helps people stay awake in the evening. Leave your sunglasses at home if you opt to take an evening walk to get the maximum effect. On the other hand, if you go out in the morning, do wear sunglasses, since morning light can actually aggravate sleep problem.

Stick to the Sleep Basics: Adhere to the basics of sleeping. Use the bedroom only for sleeping. Keep it dark, quiet, and cool. Get rid of your bedside clock so you can’t watch it all night. You might as well avoid alcohol after 6:00 P.M, and take a warm bath before bed.

Watch your Drugs: You might be taking diabetes medications, heart medications, or drugs for congestion. Any of these medications may have the side-effect of keeping you from sleeping. In addition, a combination of medications can also cause sleep trouble. While it may be difficult to specify those medications that could be causing sleep problems, your doctor should be able to help. Show the list of your medications to your physician and discuss your sleep problems. The solution may be as simple as switching the time of day you take your medication; changing to another medication; or lowering the dosage.

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