Sleep Habits Are Important to Senior Care in Springfield Missouri

The most pervasive health problem for the elderly is actually lack of sleep. This can cause poor physical and psychological health for seniors today. Without proper sleep, everyone, including seniors, suffers from poor memory function and a lack of concentration. Those who do not get enough sleep also have issues with their body being able to prevent diseases and repair physical ailments. Our caregivers from Visiting Angels do not provide medical assistance like home health agencies in Springfield Missouri, but we can still help encourage healthy sleep habits for seniors. 

Common Reasons for Lack of Quality Sleep

More than half of those over the age of 65 complain of at least one issue getting quality sleep and many will experience sleep disorders like insomnia on a regular basis. In general, elderly people sleep less frequently and their sleeping patterns tend to be more fragmented. This means they spend less time in REM sleep, also known as deep sleep.

The following are the most common reasons why seniors will suffer from poor sleep or lack of sleep. 

• Sleeping hours aren’t regular
• Napping too frequently during the day
• A more sedentary lifestyle
• Needing to go to the bathroom at night
• Physical limitations that cause a big change in their life
• Sleep disorders relating to breathing, such as snoring or sleep apnea
• Alcohol consumption before bedtime
• Pain from physical ailments like arthritis
• Stress

Changes to Improve Sleep

Our senior caregivers at Visiting Angels can help with these sleep issues as part of our senior care in Springfield Missouri. While our Angel caregivers don’t provide home health care services, we can help with monitoring and improving the sleep habits of seniors with the main goal of helping them improve their overall health. We can check out the senior’s sleep patterns and suggest changes that are appropriate to help the senior start to sleep better. Some of these changes can include the following:

• Monitoring medications to make sure the senior is taking their medications as prescribed.
• Assisting with daily living to reduce stress, such as housekeeping or running errands. 
• Preparation of small, nutritious meals.
• Encouraging more social activities and providing extra companionship.
• Help reduce the intake of caffeine and other stimulants.
• Helping the senior get outside more often. 
• Encouraging the senior to have a physician review and adjust medications as needed.
• Monitoring naps to determine how to allow naps without impeding sleep during the night. 
• Encourage regular sleep or help set up regular sleep hours to prevent excess napping. 

Poor health can often be linked to a poor sleep cycle. Worsened pain can be caused by disrupted sleep and restless nights, which is commonly seen in seniors who have back pain or arthritis. Our senior caregivers at Visiting Angels don’t provide the same medical services as a home health aide in Springfield Missouri, but we can still work with seniors to reduce the symptoms that occur because of poor sleep. We can record any changes made to the daily routine, adjust activities as needed, and work to help the senior get better help.