Sleep tips: improving your quality of sleep when you are caregiver
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Providing care for your older family member or friend is kindhearted and compassionate, however, it can easily impact your quality of sleep. It’s important to take care of your sleep schedule because a great sleep will help you to take care of your loved one more easily. It’s easy to get lost in your responsibilities and put your needs last, luckily, there are easy 3 sleep tips you can try to improve your quality of sleep when you are a caregiver.
Create a sleep routine for your loved one and yourself
Creating a sleep routine for your family member or friend you’re taking care of and yourself will help you down the road. Falling asleep at the same time every night will be a natural process if you create a specific routine in the evening. By falling asleep at a specific time each night, your body will learn that it’s time to go to bed. This way, you both will have a full night of needed rest.
When you create a sleep routine, make sure not to go to bed an hour and a half before or after your planned bedtime. With a sleep routine, you will avoid tossing and turning in bed and feeling frustrated. In order to have the most comfortable night of sleep, consider dimming the light in your bedroom, turning off the TV and mobile phone, and if you have time, reading a relaxing book.
Also, it’s important to have a comfortable mattress and pillow. Instead of purchasing the wrong mattress that hurts your body and neck, you can easily check online mattress reviews and see which one would suit you the best. Just visit the website and you will find amazing, trustworthy reviews that will save you money and time.
Take a nap at the same time as your loved one naps
Depending on your situation, it may not be possible to get a solid 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. However, you can try taking a nap when your loved one is taking one, too. After a short nap, you will be feeling refreshed and rested. It’s important to know the different ways how to get a better night’s sleep and even if you can’t sleep the entire night, it’s still important to get sleep whenever you can.
If you’re taking care of your elderly family member on a consistent basis, it’s essential to have the energy to help them when needed. By having quality sleep, you will have no problem providing care.
Accept Additional Help If Needed
Even though every caregiver wants to help their loved ones every day, it’s important to have time to rest and relax so you don’t burnout quickly. Don’t be afraid to accept help if someone offers one, it can be as simple as taking over your grocery shopping or cooking a meal. This help can save you a few hours of precious time you can use to provide care or take a rest.
It’s not always easy to accept help, however, when you do, you will realise how important it is to take a break even for a couple of hours. You can make a list of tasks people can help you with, so when someone offers help, you can say yes.
With these sleep tips, you can easily improve your quality of sleep. Quality of sleep is all about comfort and rest, so make sure to find a routine that works for you and your loved one, too. By doing so, you will not burnout and will have enough energy to be an excellent caregiver to your elderly family member or friend.
Photo by Christopher Jolly on Unsplash
