Getting adequate sleep is vital to physical, mental, and psychological health, but many family caregivers experience chronic sleep deprivation because of ongoing stress and daily responsibilities. The following strategies and tactics can help you get your sleep schedule back on track so you can continue to provide high-quality care to your senior loved one.
Start a Sleep Journal
Before you decide on a long-term plan, you need a better understanding of what’s going on with your sleep patterns. Keeping track of your nightly habits for a few weeks gives you a closer look at how much sleep you’re getting, what time you finally fall asleep, how often you wake up in the middle of the night, and what you feel like in the morning. The journal also needs to have information on your diet and any medications you’re taking. After reading through your journal, you might notice some trends or issues that need to be addressed.
Hiring a professional caregiver can allow you to take a break from your caregiving duties to focus on your health and wellbeing. In Miami, respite care is a great help to many families. Caring for a senior loved one can be overwhelming at times, which puts family caregivers at risk for burnout. However, a respite caregiver can take over your loved one’s care, allowing you the time you need to focus on your own health, maintain a full-time job, or care for other members of your family.
Create a Sleep-Friendly Bedroom
Unless you need to sleep in the same room as your loved one, try to turn your bedroom into a comfortable getaway that facilitates restorative sleep. One option many sleep specialists suggest is removing all electronics from the bedroom, including tablets, phones, PCs, and televisions. You can also create relaxing white noise with a humidifier, fan, or space heater. If you aren’t tempted to check your phone every few minutes, you might want to install a white noise mobile app.
Make a Nightly Routine
Adopting a bedtime routine can condition you to fall asleep as quickly as possible. After a few weeks of sticking to a rigid routine, your mind should automatically release sleep-inducing hormones as soon as you start getting ready for bed. Your routine can be as simple as taking a hot shower, reading for 10 minutes, and turning off all the lights. Some people enjoy longer sleep routines that involve stretching, listening to their favorite music, or sitting in the bath while they read. The routine can be anything you want as long as you stick to it every night.
Family caregivers can catch up on their rest and tend to important tasks by availing themselves of professional in-home care. Though you may be researching multiple agencies that provide senior care, Assisting Hands Home Care has much to offer your family and your elderly loved one. We are leaders in the senior home care industry, offering hourly and around-the-clock assistance from reliable, experienced caregivers. Trust Assisting Hands Home Care to help your loved one enjoy a happier and healthier life in the golden years.
Explore Stress Management Techniques
Managing stress can be difficult, but taking control of those feelings could help you in the long run. According to the American Psychological Association, stress is one of the most common causes of chronic sleep deprivation. Feelings of stress could become amplified if you don’t get enough restorative sleep each night, and the cycle may get worse as time goes on. Some of the stress relief tactics you might want to try include breathing exercises, jogging, joining a support group, meditating, and journaling.
Hiring a professional caregiver is one of the best ways to take a break from your caregiving duties to get some rest. Miami in-home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently. Call Assisting Hands Home Care today to learn about our high-quality in-home care services.
