Five New Ideas for Getting the Sleep You Need

By Kevin Edwards | December 18, 2018 |

Five New Ideas for Getting the Sleep You Need

Caregiver Olathe KS – Five New Ideas for Getting the Sleep You Need

By Kevin Edwards, President

Sleep deprivation is a huge problem for you as a caregiver. Beyond the effects on your brain and your ability to think, you’ve also got to consider the health effects of not sleeping. But old ideas for getting more or better sleep may not have worked for you, so it could be time to try some new ideas.

Use a Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats allow you to program them so that you don’t have to spend time setting them at different times of the day. The newer models also offer a way for you to control the thermostat through an app on your smartphone. This gives you an even better way to control your sleep environment at night without even getting out of bed.

Try a Weighted Blanket

Some people find that using a weighted blanket at night is soothing. This can be especially helpful if you are anxious at night or have trouble shutting down your thoughts so you can sleep. Weighted blankets are only slightly heavier than regular blankets, but that added weight can feel a bit like a hug.

Wear a Sleep Mask

Sleep masks are actually an old idea, but they’re picking up steam again. They’re extremely helpful for situations in which you can’t block or control the light in your room. If you have to sleep during the day, sleep masks can help your brain to get the message that it’s dark so you can fall asleep a little bit faster.

Consider a Monitor for Your Senior

If you live with your senior family member, you may find yourself worried during the night about how she’s doing and whether she needs anything. This can cause you to sleep fitfully because you’re constantly on edge. You can set up a monitor that you use at night that helps you and your aging family member to feel more secure that if she does need help at night, you’ll hear her and know right away.

Do a Brain Dump Before Bed

You might have heard the concept of a brain dump before, but when you do one can be just as important as having done it at all. Caregivers often have a lot going through their brains and that can keep them awake way too long. Doing a brain dump before bed gets all of that out of your head and onto a piece of paper. You can process that piece of paper the next day, when you can actually take action on what’s bugging you.

If you’re not getting the sleep that you need, it’s going to be far more difficult for you to keep up with everything that you have to do as a caregiver and in your other roles. Try some of these ideas along with more traditional ideas for getting more sleep to see what combination works for you.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Caregiver Services in the Olathe KS area, please contact the caring staff at Elder Care of Kansas City, today. Proudly serving Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass Counties in Missouri as well as Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas for over 30 years. Call us at 816-333-3322.

Author
Recent Posts

Kevin Edwards

Owner at Elder Care of Kansas City

Kevin’s life and the lives of his immediate family have been impacted by caregivers – either as a patient or a caregiver - for as long as he can remember.He watched his mother take care of his grandmother until her death at the age of 97.Five years later, his father passed from a neurological disorder that was subsequently confirmed as Lewy Body Dementia.In 2007, his wife, Lori, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.The symptoms of Lori’s disease required Kevin to hire a caregiver during the periods of her relapses.

Prior to purchasing Elder Care, Kevin spent over 20 years in the health insurance industry.In his most recent position, he was in a financial operations role with Humana where he worked with doctors, nurses and other health professionals developing programs to keep Humana members healthy.Their focus on primary care and medication adherence improved the lives of thousands of seniors in Kansas City and the surrounding area.

Kevin and his wife, Lori, have three children.Kevin has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.