Ways to Solve Senior Sleep Problems for Better Rest

Because sleep patterns change as we age, seniors typically have more trouble falling asleep and sleeping through the night. The insomnia issues can also be tough on caregivers, who often need to get up with the older adult at night to make sure they don’t fall while going to the bathroom, or that they don’t try to leave the house or do something else that could cause an injury.

If caregivers can determine the reason why seniors have such a hard time getting a good night’s sleep, they can often take appropriate steps to improve the situation. Asking the individual directly doesn’t usually yield answers, either because the person doesn’t know why s/he can’t sleep or because s/he can’t verbalize the problem. Doing a little detective work can go a long way toward providing clues, however. Common reasons for poor sleep among seniors include medication side effects, discomfort from medical conditions, the need to urinate more frequently, an irregular sleep/wake cycle, daytime napping, or too much time spent in bed.

Part of determining an insomnia remedy also involves trying different things to come up with a combination of solutions that actually work. Since older bodies are slower to adjust, it’s important to only change one thing at a time while experimenting, and then give it some time to see how it affects the person. You’ll gradually be able to figure out what works or doesn’t work.

Begin with consulting the individual’s doctor. Before your visit, write down when s/he sleeps and wakes for a week or more so you can describe the general schedule to the doctor. Ask the physician if medication side effects or pain from various medical conditions could be causing sleep problems. If so, find out if changing the dose or drug itself might help, or if you could tweak the timing of taking the medication. You might also ask if taking a light pain reliever (like acetaminophen) or a safe sleep aid (like certain antihistamines) would be helpful and safe.

Then start experimenting with various lifestyle changes, one at a time. Be sure to keep your older adult on a regular daily schedule. If you can get the person to wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day, hormones will signal the body when it’s time to go to bed. Limit the duration and frequency of afternoon naps. Try to decrease the amount of time spent in bed. Begin a wind-down period an hour before bed, during which time you give a little massage, play calming music, or focus on a mellow activity.

In terms of beverages, limit the older adult’s caffeine consumption throughout the day, and especially in the afternoon and evening. If s/he refuses to give up coffee or tea, secretly switch it to decaf. Try to get the person to drink more water earlier in the day, and then begin to limit liquids several hours before bedtime. Ask the individual to try to pee before going to bed. Encourage wearing disposable underwear at night for peace of mind if s/he gets up frequently out of concern about having an accident.

Make sure the surroundings at night are comfortable. The mattress should be supportive and the blankets should be adjusted so they provide enough warmth without being restrictive. Keep the temperature at a moderate range so it’s not too hot or cold, and consider getting a pillow or stuffed animal for the person to cuddle to provide safety and warmth. You can also experiment with using different support pillows and body positions to decrease pain or discomfort.

Chronic sleep deprivation definitely takes its toll on both the senior and the caregiver. Following the above recommendations will go a long way towards bringing a little more shut-eye.