Sleeping
We all need a good nights sleep to have the energy for the day ahead. If you find that you aren't sleeping well here are some ideas that may help you get the rest you need:
- Stick to regular bed times, aim for seven to eight hours a night
- Reduce your stress levels and relax before bed:
- Have a bath
- Read a book
- Take a nap to make up for lost sleep
- Stay away from big meals at night as your food doesn't get chance to digest properly
- Avoid alcohol before bed and reduce smoking:
- Smoking and sleep disturbance often go hand in hand with each other. All stimulants interfere with the body's ability to fall and stay asleep
- Cut down on caffeine as its a natural diuretic which can make you wee more frequently. This could prevent you waking in the night to go to the toilet
- Try a cup of warm milk. It soothes the nerves and provides vital nutrients to help the body get a restful sleep:
- other examples of night time herbal remedies are hops, lavender, passion flower, camomile, peppermint, aniseed, skullcap and valerina known for their properties in alleviating the symptoms of insomnia
If you are still struggling with sleep visit your GP who will look into why you are having difficulty.
Information for carers and sleep
If you care for someone and your sleep is disturbed contact the Carers Centre who can offer you advice and support.
Telecare is range of discreet sensors that can may help you. It can alert you if you get out of bed and if you dont return after a set amount of time it will then trigger an alarm to let you know this person hasn't returned to bed. It can also alert you with incontinence issues.
If you have tips on how to get a good nights sleep, let us know and we will publish it here.
Getting in and out of bed
If you feel you need support getting in and out of bed here are some tips you may find useful.
- Try glide sheets which are designed for sliding, transfers and repositioning or silk nightwear to move more freely
- Think about a night light to prevent a prevent a fall
- Have a higher or lower bed
- Use wedge pillows to support you whilst in bed
- Try using aids like leg supports to help you get into bed
What we can do
If you want more advice or you feel that you need more support, use our online enquiry form or contact us. We may be able to assess your situation and discuss the type of support you need.
This page was last updated on 26 August 2011
