Jul 21, 2017
Statistics say that 35% of Americans report sleep quality of poor or only fair. So, more than a third of the country is sleep deprived. It's even worse for personal caregivers of terminally ill patients. Studies show that caregivers for a terminally ill patient have more difficulty sleeping. However, sleep improves after hospice is initiated.
The National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org) recommends 7-9 hours of sleep a night. How can we improve our sleep, or get more sleep? The NSF suggests that practicing good "sleep hygiene" can improve sleep. Here are some suggestions.
- Maintain a sleep schedule.
- Bedtime rituals. Lighting, sounds, etc.
- Avoid naps, exercise daily
- Avoid alcohol, and heavy meals, and caffeine
- Avoid electronics. Laptops, iPads, tablets, phones.
For more information, visit our website at www.theheartofhospice.com, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates.