Sleep-promoting interventions

Influencing behavioural patterns and the environment is central to sleep-promoting interventions:

Behaviours that you can influence include

• Bedtimes: Regular bedtimes promote good sleep.
• Use of the bedroom: Using the bedroom as a hobby room may hinder good sleep. Doing a relaxing activity before bed. 
• Feeding pattern: Avoid a lot of heavy food, coffee or alcohol before going to bed, but do have a light snack.
• Exercise pattern: Regular exercise during the day promotes good sleep.
• Develop a sleep ritual. This can help older people prepare for the night. This can be a ritual that the older person is used to or wants to develop, such as an evening walk, hot shower or skin care. One cup of warm milk can promote sleep, because milk contains melatonin (sleep hormone). If the older person wakes up an hour later to urinate, however, the effect is cancelled out.  

Environmental factors can also influence sleep: consider disturbing light or noise, the room temperature (ideally a well-ventilated, cool room, but ensure warm blankets and warm feet), the quality of the mattress and pillow, and the bed partner. Finally, sleep patterns can be positively influenced by complementary care interventions, such as yoga, meditation,, sound, massage, homeopathy and acupuncture

.

 

Bron: Bleijenberg, N. in  Bakker T., Habes V., Quist, G., Van der Sande, J., Van de Vrie, W. (2019) Klinisch redeneren bij ouderen. Functiebehoud in levensloopperspectief. Bohn Stafleu van Loghum

https://www.venvn.nl/media/f5vngxte/richtlijn-gezonde-slaap-definitief-28-9-2021.pdf