Are you a caregiver of someone who is experiencing trouble in falling asleep at night? Does your loved one wake up multiple times at night? If the answers are in affirmation, you have to take some essential steps to help your loved one is sleeping better at night. Otherwise, you will also suffer sleep deprivation each night. Remember, inadequate sleep after caring tirelessly for the entire day can lead to caregiver burnout. So, here are some caregiver tips that you must follow to help ensure your loved one is experiencing better sleep.
Cut down daily sugar intake
Agree or not, but sugary food can wreak havoc on sleep. So, cut down its daily intake. Try to give home-made nutritious food to your loved one. If your loved one insists on having a dessert at bedtime, you can try to curb the sugar craving by offering a handful of dates or baked fruits.
Avoid spicy foods at dinner
Spicy food indeed tastes delicious. However, having the same in dinner can lead to discomfort due to indigestion leading to sleep disturbances. So, avoid spicy food at dinner. If you are caring for someone with dementia or incontinence, stay away from spicy food as much as you can.
Minimize fluid intake before sleep
Elderly people with incontinence or certain diseases often wake up during the night to use the bathroom. Sometimes, they even have an involuntary leakage of bowel or urine. As a caregiver, it might be extremely difficult to stay awake at night to help them in getting out of their bed or in changing their clothes. Minimizing fluid intake before sleep will decrease the frequency of their urge to use the bathroom. However, remember that your loved one remains hydrated.
Switch off the lights
If you are the caregiver of a senior who prefers to keep the lights on during the night, sleep disturbances may be linked to the artificial lights. However, exposure to artificial lights suppresses the hormone that promotes sleep. So, it is better if you can persuade him or her to let you switch off the lights. If your loved one has a problem in sleeping in a dark room, you can use nightlights.
Increase their exposure to outdoor light
When you are a family caregiver, it is apparent that your loved one has some health problems. In such a case, it might be difficult for your loved one to go for a walk because of illness, aging or mobility issues. So, make walking a part of their daily routine. In studies, it has been proved that bright outdoor light helps in having a better sleep during the night.
These tips will not only prove effective to ensure a goodnight sleep for your loved one but also for you as a caregiver. However, there also some specific tips for caregivers to overcome sleep deprivation over the web that you can follow. If you are looking forward to learn some more useful caregiving tips, download the free eBook now!