Younger people who work or study hard find it easy to sleep at night. But after retirement, seniors often complain about falling and staying asleep.  Consequently, they’re groggy during the day.  It’s a vicious circle that never seems to end.  We get all kinds of advice from well meaning family and friends.  As an example,” don’t drink water before you go to bed”.  But if you have allergies or a dry mouth, you will probably keep a water bottle on your bed stand.  Doctors often prescribe sleeping pills, but they can be addictive and if you’re like me, you don’t care for the side effects of  drugs like Ambien and Lunesta.  And Melatonin actually keeps me awake.  Lately, I’ve been investigating alternative strategies, and have  discovered four game changers for better sleep.  They may not work for you, but you might want to give them a try.

1. Bamboo sheets have two advantages: A)  They’re hypoallergenic and keep you cool.  They are naturally thermal regulating and don’t  retain moisture. Instead, the bamboo moves heat away while you sleep – keeping you at the ideal temperature all night. It is also very lightweight and breathable so it feels easy on your skin even on hot nights.  B)  They’re hypoallergenic and anti microbial. For those of us who have skin allergies (psoriasis, eczema), skin asthma, or sensitive skin, we may experience itching and irritation that becomes worse at night. However,  bamboo beddings are free from allergens, dust mites, odors, and bacteria so it reduces your allergies and it’s gentle on sensitive skin.

When I switched to bamboo sheets, I noticed an immediate difference.  No more coughing and sneezing at night..  My skin stayed dry and cool.  I felt more rested, because I wasn’t waking up so often. .  And yet, I was still having trouble falling asleep.  That’s when I started  discovered weighted blankets.

2.   Weighted blankets. According to the sleep foundation “ Many people find that adding a weighted blanket to their sleep routine helps to reduce stress and promote calm. In the same way as a hug or a baby’s swaddle, the gentle pressure of a weighted blanket may help ease symptoms and improve sleep for people with insomnia, anxiety, or autism. “

   

When ordering a weighted blanket , I saw that the manufacturer cautioned it might take a week or so to become accustomed to it. That proved to be true for me, as it really was a radical change.  However, after a few days, I was sleeping more deeply and waking up later in the morning.  It’s a mystery to me why they work, but I’m sold on weighted blankets.

3. Darken the bedroom. .Now that you’ve settled into your new bedding, be sure that you’ve blocked out any light in the room, . Cover digital clocks, bright buttons on television and computers.  It’s been proven that our eyes are sensitive to this type of lighting, which may keep you awake.. If outside  light peeps through your window shades, you may benefit from wearing a sleep mask.

4.  Drink beet juice. Beets aren’t a very popular vegetable, but you might try acquiring a taste for beet juice. Recent studies showed that when COPD patients drank concentrated beetroot juice at bedtime, their overnight sleep quality improved and the duration of deep sleep episodes was increased.  This is due to the nitrates in beets, which increase oxygen consumption.

These four game changes have helped me sleep better. .  They may or not not work for you, but why not give them a try?

Here’s wishing you sweet dreams.