Are you one of the many seniors who tend to get less sleep than your body needs? It’s a common problem to wake up too early as a senior, even though the need for a daily 6 to 8 hours of rest remains.
We take sleep seriously and want to help you create a sleeping space for seniors that assists in getting as much rest as possible.
Keep reading to optimize your current living arrangement. We’ll discuss our top senior bedroom comfort tips and why they’re so important to implement immediately!
Create a Routine
When bedtime comes around, it’s important to have a nightly routine you execute before getting into bed. Once you get into a habit, performing that routine signals to your body that it’s time to sleep. It’ll help you transition from lying awake in bed to dreaming peacefully.
This is the time to put your favorite sleep hygiene tips for seniors into practice. Include things such as washing your face and applying moisturizer to your new routine. Put away small bits of clutter that were left in your living quarters throughout the day.
It’ll take a little bit of effort to put the routine in place, but it’ll have lasting benefits once it’s fully integrated.
Optimal Temperature
Did you know that, according to WebMD, the perfect temperature for sleeping lies somewhere between 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit? If you struggle to sleep at night, try adjusting the thermostat to something closer to this temperature range.
Some senior living amenities don’t include easy access to a thermostat, but that’s okay. There are other ways to cool or warm yourself during sleep.
A fan can help keep you cool if you run hot during the night. A heated blanket, on the other hand, is perfect for those who tend to run cold. Make sure to find the type with automatic shutoff times so you don’t overheat.
Having these options available can help in creating senior sleep environments that are both versatile and restful.
Controlled Lighting
There’s a special connection between light and restful sleeping arrangements for elderly residents. Darkness is necessary to get a good night’s sleep, but complete darkness can be a safety hazard when you need to use the restroom at night.
Adjustable light bulbs are a great solution for this, but they aren’t always within a person’s budget.
An easier solution is to have a lamp you can leave on all night to light your way safely through your apartment. To block out that light, a sleep mask works wonders. Make sure to get one that has comfort in mind so that you won’t even feel it as you rest for the night.
Open Floor Plan
To fully optimize senior sleeping spaces, you’ll want to re-evaluate the floor plan and furniture placement. If you dislike leaving a light on during the night, for instance, you need to ensure you won’t bump into something while navigating your room.
When decorating your bedroom, make sure to leave a clear walking path. An open floor plan will help prevent falls and accidental injuries.
Non-Slip Rugs
Placing down slip-free rugs on smooth floors is the perfect way to protect yourself during nighttime visits to the bathroom. Even with good lighting to guide the way, our legs might not be at full capacity after waking up.
Place a non-slip rug where you first set down your feet when you get out of bed. This will stop you from experiencing the unpleasant shock of a cold floor after first waking up.
It’ll also allow you to put on non-slip slippers safely before you begin walking through the apartment.
Proper Sleeping Support
If you wake up with a sore neck, it could be time to look for a more supportive pillow. You’ll need to evaluate your sleeping position since high-quality pillows are differently shaped depending on whether you sleep on your back, front, or side.
If it’s your back that gives you more trouble, try sleeping with an extra pillow between your knees. This can help keep your body straighter during sleep and alleviate back pains.
Limit Distractions
When your typical bedtime draws near, you need to limit any distractions that will keep you from going to bed on time. Limiting time spent on a laptop or mobile phone will do a world of good in helping you get better sleep.
These kinds of distractions can lead us to stay up far too late before we even realize it. Try to put distractions away an hour or so before bed to help avoid this problem.
Mask Outside Noises
Although you may love the senior amenities of your community, sometimes sleep-interrupting noises are unavoidable. Whether it’s the sounds from other residents or an HVAC system, you don’t want these things to wake you up in the middle of the night.
Since it’s impossible to prevent these noises from occurring occasionally, the best solution is to mask them instead.
A white noise machine could be your nighttime best friend for this. They’re often small and portable, so you can even use them during the day when you want to do a quiet activity in peace. They’re equipped with a variety of different sounds, so you can adjust them to your preferences.
Music can also help mask outside noises if you have a soundtrack you find soothing.
The key is to find the volume that works for your sleeping needs. Masking outside sounds shouldn’t be so noisy that it wakes you up instead.
Find a Comfortable Sleeping Space for Seniors at Seaton Hagerstown
By implementing a few of the above changes, a restful sleeping space for seniors can be easy to achieve. Make sure to find a community that’ll support you while making these changes so you don’t miss out on those necessary hours of sleep.
At Seaton Hagerstown, our passion is to provide specialized care for your everyday needs. We’ll assist you with creating the perfect sleeping environment to help you get a restful night’s sleep. Contact us for more information and we’ll come up with a personalized care plan!
