Tell your loved one to go ahead, grab her favorite blanket and pillow, and lie down for a bit of a nap if she wants to. Turns out, short naps can be a healthy part of her day, and with the help of home care providers, she can get in a healthy routine of napping.
Why Napping is Good for Your Loved One
When napping is done right (see next segment), it can be a great way for your loved one to boost her cognitive functions. Enjoying a daily nap can increase a person’s ability to problem-solve and reason through an issue.
It can also help with some memory issues, such as working and episodic memory. A nap can help your loved one process information better and manage her emotions. A nap can provide an important refresh to any day.
Tips for a Healthy Nap
For napping to be a healthy part of your loved one’s day, they need to be intentional. That means accidentally falling asleep while sitting on the recliner watching her favorite show is not a sign of a healthy nap.
Unintentionally falling asleep can be due to a health issue or exhaustion. A good nap is much like bedtime where it should be planned out and scheduled to have the best health effects for your loved one. Home care services can help.
Tip Number One: Nap During the Right Time of Day
If your loved one naps too close to bedtime, it’s more likely to interfere with her sleeping at night. For many older individuals, taking a late morning nap (especially if they are early risers) or an early afternoon nap is optimal.
Most people have a dip in energy between the hours of 1 pm and 4 pm, and if lunch has been eaten before that time, it can make for a perfect time to lie down and nap for a wee bit.
Tip Number Two: Naps Should be Short
Longer naps can lead to grogginess and make sleeping at night more difficult. A daytime nap should only last between 30 and 90 minutes, while some may find even shorter naps of 15-20 minutes can help restore energy. The key is avoiding those really deep stages of sleep that make waking up difficult.
If your loved one struggles to keep naps short, she should ask someone, like her home care provider, to wake her up after a set amount of time or set an alarm.
Tip Number Three: Nap in a Comfortable Place
Your loved one doesn’t want to wake up from her nap with her foot asleep or a crook in her neck from sitting up in a chair. Instead, she should nap in a nice, quiet, and darkened space. It doesn’t have to be completely devoid of light, but having low light as well as soundproofing can help your loved one nap better.
Tip Number Four: Get Moving After a Nap
Plan for some light exercise, like a walk or some stretching exercises, after a nap to fully wake up the body and prepare it for the rest of the day.
Preparation is the Key to a Good Nap for Seniors
Your loved one doesn’t want a good nap to turn bad, so following these tips before she closes her eyes for a bit of rest is key to making sure her nap is restorative. If your loved one has a home care provider who helps with her daily care, the home care provider can also help with nap navigation so that your loved one’s naps are optimal for her health.
If you or an aging loved one needs Home Care in Folsom, CA, contact A Better Living Home Care today (916) 514-7006
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