Home > Blog > May 2014 > Home Care Services – Better Sleep Using Diet Strategies

Home Care Services – Better Sleep Using Diet Strategies

Posted: 5/20/2014 2:05 PM by Interim HealthCare

Getting a good sleep at night isn’t just a luxury; it’s an important part of a healthy lifestyle. If you’ve been kept up at night with stress or worry, you’ve probably been searching for an answer to relax and cope with your situation. Being a caregiver isn’t easy even for the best of us. You don’t have to only rely on counting sheep to get some shuteye – the foods you eat before bedtime are essential to the quality of sleep you’ll get. There aren’t any specific foods that can induce sleep, but knowing what’s healthy to eat during the day and when to eat will increase your chance of a sounder night’s snooze.

Six Steps to a Good Night’s Sleep

None of these are solidly proven, and some help more than others depending on the person. Besides this list, having the help of home care for the elderly can bring some peace of mind to you and help you sleep. Just knowing a trusted caregiver can help you fill the caregiver role for your elderly loved one is a huge relief.

1.      Smaller midnight snacks. If you’re up in the middle of the night and hungry, keep it to a minimum. Having a big meal at night can make you bloated and cause heartburn. An idea for a good snack is a banana with some peanut butter, or a small bowl of cereal and milk.

2.      Any beverages you drink right before bedtime need to be decaf and virgin. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol for a better sleep. Did you know that caffeine takes from 8-12 hours for its stimulating effects to wear off? As far as alcohol goes, it can make you wake up multiple times and prevents your body from getting that deep, REM sleep it needs. Make sure to look out for caffeine in tea and chocolate, too.

3.      You can control your melatonin. This hormone is produced by our bodies and plays a crucial role in our sleeping patterns. Daylight keeps melatonin from being produced, and once the sun goes down, your brain starts making this sleep inducing hormone. You can take a supplement of melatonin as a more natural alternative to prescription sleeping pills.

4.      Love your carbs! If you love bread, you’ll love to hear this: carbs play a key role for snacks that aid sleep. Carbs helps your brain to produce the sleep chemical melatonin, and you can choose from a wide variety of foods: whole grains, cheese, eggs, oatmeal, veggies, bananas, potatoes and poultry.

5.      Also avoid drinking too much before going to sleep. To avoid multiple trips to the bathroom at 2AM, you shouldn’t drink very much in the hour before you head to your bed. You don’t want to make sleep harder to get than it already is, and you can drink water in the morning to stay hydrated.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care services, contact Interim HealthCare today. G+