A female sleeping peacefully in her bed

Sleep in, it could save you from memory loss

A lot of the senior population today suffers from inadequate sleep. In recent studies, memory loss is directly related to lack of sleep and insomnia. Many of our patients and their families often ask us questions regarding memory care so we decided to address the impact good sleep can have on keeping your brain healthy, especially as it becomes more vulnerable with age.

To get a good night’s sleep, your body goes through four different non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) stages. At the beginning of this cycle, your body is in a lighter sleep, and as it progresses, you go through a deeper and deeper sleep. After the fourth stage, your body goes through a fifth stage called rapid-eye-movement (REM). This is the deepest sleep your body will go through and it is where dreaming takes place. Your body needs to go through all these cycles every 90-110 minutes without interruption.

Seniors often have trouble staying in an undisturbed sleep throughout the night. This means they do not stay in the REM cycle for enough time, thus leading to memory loss. Some of the causes associated with insomnia include stress, poor housing conditions, and unhealthy eating or drinking habits.

In the Post Acute community, we make sure seniors have daily activities that exercise the brain. We make sure they have a set schedule for meals and bedtime, as well as providing the most comfortable sleeping environment. This prevents insomnia therefore leading to a better memory.

Another helpful yet easy way we can ensure a sound night sleep is by making sure our patients are participating in daily exercise outside. Getting some sunshine and moving around helps the blood flow in your brain and is a reliable way to make sure you are able to sleep at night. But, physical activities should take place in the beginning part of the day. It is important to avoid exercise four hours before bedtime because that could cause insomnia as well.

Sleep is an important part of keeping your brain healthy. It can be hard to practice healthy habits to ensure a good night’s rest. Our patients here at the Post Acute community are provided the resources and care to make sure they get the sleep they need.

Contact us to learn more!

Real People. Remarkable Care. South Coast Post Acute.  

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