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Tips To Manage Sleep Issues In Dementia Patients

December 22, 2022 0 Comment Category: Foothill Heights

People suffering from dementia disorders can experience many sleep problems. Luckily, many lifestyle changes can help promote quality sleep in seniors. Dementia care experts in our assisted living facility share some tips to help manage sleep issues in dementia patients. Encourage your senior loved one to implement these changes to overcome sleep issues.

Have A Consistent Sleep Schedule  

It is significant to maintain a consistent sleep schedule with regular wakeup time to have a proper circadian rhythm and help dementia sufferers sleep faster and ensure a good quality sleep. Also, it can be beneficial to go to bed at the same time daily, though the wake-up time has a greater impact on the overall sleep quality. It can be especially difficult for a person suffering from dementia to adapt to a new sleep schedule. With the help from caregivers and using alarms, waking up at the right time every day can help make a very big difference in their ability to fall asleep readily at nightfall.

Have A Healthy Diet

A well-balanced and nutritious diet can be especially important for dementia sufferers. Also, it is important not to eat large meals close to bedtime and food items eaten after 6 PM should be low in carbohydrates and sugar. There are some food items that dementia sufferers can eat around bedtime to help them sleep faster. For instance, calcium is found to help our body make more melatonin, which is a natural hormone that can induce sleepiness. Therefore, you can make your senior loved one have a glass of milk before bed. Oatmeal is another food that is rich in calcium.

It is also important to avoid caffeine, tobacco, alcohol and meals high in fat at night. This is because consuming these things can make it really difficult to fall asleep. If your senior loved one is used to having a cup of tea at night, you can make the person have something with zero caffeine.

Engage In Physical Activity

Many elderly adults have a hard time exercising because of mobility issues. But, it is important for them to do what they can as aging can make the body lose muscle mass and bone density. In addition, exercising can help your senior loved one fall asleep more easily at night. Understand that exercise need not be very rigorous. Even a light walk can help your loved one sleep better. Make your loved one walk as often as possible and help the person do a few stretches before bed.