Most of the time when people think about sleep problems, they think about someone sleeping too little or having fitful sleep. If your elderly family member is sleeping a lot more than you’re used to her sleeping, though, that could be a cause for concern.
Look at the Impact of Your Senior’s Current Sleep Habits
What is it that’s causing you to feel your senior is sleeping too much? It’s important to examine the impact, either real or perceived, in what your senior’s sleep habits are creating for her. If you’re not sure how much sleep your senior is actually getting or you’re not aware of how the sleep she’s getting is either helping or hindering her, sit down and have a real talk about it.
Too Much Sleep Varies Over Time
Everyone needs different amounts of sleep and those amounts can change over time, too. Your senior may have never been one to sleep a lot in the past, but maybe she does need more sleep now. It’s important to look at the whole picture when you’re making this assessment. If your elderly family member was always filled with stress and anxiety in the past, but feels more relaxed now, she may feel more comfortable sleeping now. There can be a lot of different pieces to this puzzle.
Determine Why She Might Be Sleeping a Lot
There is more than just one reason your senior might be sleeping more. If she’s taking new medications, that could have an effect. If she’s been in pain for a long time, she may find that sleep is a little more chaotic for her. Depression and other mental health issues can also affect sleep habits. There might be a lot that you and your senior can work out together about how her sleep habits have changed and why that might be the case.
Decide if This Needs to Be a Question for Her Doctor
Some of these changes might be better off discussed with your senior’s doctor, though. This is especially true if your senior is also not happy with the amount of sleep she’s getting. She may not feel rested, even while sleeping for eight or more hours a night. That could be the clue that there’s more going on. Talk to your senior and her doctor about what might be going on.
There could be more solutions available than your senior realizes, too. Some of them may be ones she can take in stride, while others might require help. It could be time to bring in a caregiver to help your senior wherever possible.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering caregivers in Brentwood, CA, please contact the caring staff at Provident Care Home Care today at (209) 578-1210.
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