Sleep has proven to be essential to overall health—physical, mental, and cognitive. While it is known that sleep patterns do naturally vary over time, it is still essential to make sure you are getting restful and adequate amounts of sleep.
As we get older, sleep disturbances like difficulty falling asleep, waking up often during the night, or feeling tired and unrested in the morning can be common. There are ways, though, that can help improve sleep quality and mental health in older adults by making small yet effective changes to daily routines, lifestyle habits, and sleep environments.
Tips for Improving Sleep Quality in Older Adults
Have a comfortable sleeping environment
Having comfortable surroundings in the place that you rest can play a significant role in how well you sleep through the night. Try to make sure that your environment is quiet, dark, and at a temperature that you are most comfortable with (cooler temperatures are associated with better sleep). Try to support your body well with well-maintained mattresses and pillows.
Pro tip: Using blackout curtains and a mattress that provides joint support can be very beneficial for restful sleep.
Stick to a schedule
Sleep, just like regular physical activity and a balanced diet, needs to be worked at consistently. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day—even on weekends if possible. This over time helps regulate your internal clock (your circadian rhythm), which will make falling asleep and staying asleep much easier
Pro tip: Having a bedtime routine can help your brain understand that it’s time to rest. Including simple habits like reading a book or drinking tea every day before bed helps your brain associate that activity with sleep.
Limit caffeine and alcohol
Both are well known to cause troubles with sleeping—caffeine, most commonly consumed in coffee, is a stimulant and is meant to keep you awake for hours. Alcohol, on the other hand, is notoriously responsible for restless sleep and causes regular awakenings during the night. Limiting these, especially in the afternoons and evenings, can help with better sleep.
Pro tip: If caffeine is your constant go-to, try switching to herbal teas such as chamomile or peppermint in the evening. These teas are naturally relaxing and can help prepare your body for sleep.
Move your body
Exercise is not only beneficial for physical health; its ability to reduce stress and anxiety improves mood and stabilizes your sleep cycle. Experts suggest that even moving your body—through walking, jogging, running, or swimming—for even 30 minutes can make a big difference.
Pro tip: Start with small steps like 10 minutes of walking a day. Increasing 10 minutes as the weeks pass, will help build your routine and endurance, making getting to 30 minutes a day effortless. Try to avoid intense or excessive exercise close to bedtime, as it may increase alertness and make it harder to fall asleep.
Wind down before bed
Try to take the time to relax before trying to fall asleep; this helps your mind and body transition into sleep mode. Doing something that relaxes you before bed can be of great help – this could be things like a warm bath to relax your muscles or drinking some tea to help reduce anxiety.
Pro tip: Deep breathing exercises are one of the easy, effective ways that help with both calming the nervous system and also helping with muscle relaxation.
Diet care
Diet can be a huge part of sleep pattern disruption—foods that have a lot of sugar, are spicy, or even heavy can cause indigestion, gas/acidity, and discomfort when eaten before bed. Ideally, eating small snacks like nuts, a banana, or a small bowl of yogurt can help promote sleep.
Pro tip: Eating foods rich in magnesium—like spinach or almonds—and in tryptophan—like eggs—is a great option for snacks before bed.
Reduce stress and anxiety
Try to help maintain your mental health, which can mean making sure that stress and anxiety are controlled. Through a combination of medical intervention and lifestyle changes, mental health conditions can be managed. This can reduce the occurrence of sleep disturbances and insomnia.
Pro tip: Small tasks like journaling or spending time with family and friends can help keep the mind more relaxed.
Try not to nap.
Naps during the day can be incredibly tempting, especially after work, but napping for long durations can disturb your ability to fall and stay asleep during that time. If you’re keen on taking naps, try to keep it at 20-30 minutes as early in the day as possible.
Pro tip: The best time to nap would be before 3 pm—so right after lunch!
Drink water, but not too much before bedtime.
Dehydration, which is quite common, is also a contributing factor to poor sleep quality. While drinking water is encouraged, though, drinking too much before bed can lead to frequent awakening in the night for restroom visits. This can significantly disrupt sleep cycles.
Pro tip: Drink most of your water during the day; an hour or two before bed, try not to drink a lot of fluids.
Limit screen time before winding down
Screen time, aka from smartphones, tablets, computers, and TVs, is notorious for sleep disruption. The blue light that these devices emit suppresses melatonin (a hormone that your brain produces in response to darkness), which makes it harder for your body to wind down before bed.
Pro tip: 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime, turn off all your blue light-emitting devices. Should you need to absolutely use it, try using blue-light-blocking glasses or apps.
Try aromatherapy
Many scents are known for their ability to help with relaxation and improve sleep quality. You can use these oils in diffusers or even add a few drops to your pillow or bed sheet before going to sleep.
Pro tip: Try different scents and see what works best for you; however, lavender, for instance, has been found to encourage deeper, more restful sleep.
Take mental and physical breaks during the day
Even though it can go unnoticed, stress that is accumulated during the day can have a negative impact on your ability to fall asleep at night. The best way to combat this would be intentionally taking mental and physical breaks during your busy day; this could be brief walks, deep breathing, or short meditation sessions.
Pro tip: To hold yourself accountable to your self-care, schedule your breaks on your calendar to make sure you recharge.
Improving sleep quality isn’t only about making sure you get 6-8 hours of sleep daily; it’s about trying to intentionally cater your routine, environment, and habits to promote restful sleep. Small changes in diet or including meditation into your nightly routine can help a great deal—it may take time, but consistency will definitely show you restful results.
A good night’s sleep keeps your energy levels up during the day, allowing you to do what you want without being tired and groggy—prioritize your sleep; it’s a game changer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long should I spend winding down before sleeping?
Try to begin relaxing and winding down at least an hour before you plan to fall asleep. Doing things like reading, taking a warm bath, or doing skin-care routines can help you fill that one hour with calmness, which will help you fall asleep quicker.How can I sleep well if I have chronic pain?
As we get older, chronic pain can become all too common—from injuries, weak joints, tired muscles, or even the weather. It’s important to first speak to a professional to understand, diagnose, and treat your pain; this could include physical therapy, medications, or relaxation techniques to reduce discomfort at night.
I am still tired after sleeping 8 hours; how?
Feeling tired after a full night’s sleep often can be a sign of underlying health conditions like sleep apnea. If the discomfort isn’t manageable and affects your day-to-day life, consulting with a professional and getting a diagnosis along with advice will help improve your daytime tiredness.