What Are the Best Sleep Positions for Seniors?
A good night’s sleep is vital for physical and mental health regardless of age - however, the quality and quantity of our sleep can significantly reduce as we get older. Looking into the best sleep positions for seniors can ensure you aren’t just getting a good night’s sleep, but you’re also prioritising your well-being.
On top of changing how you sleep, replacing your traditional bed with an adjustable bed can increase comfort, providing motorised mechanisms that allow you to adjust your sleeping position while remaining supported. To find out more about how adjustable beds can help you enjoy better rest, chat with our team today.
The Best Positions to Sleep in for the Elderly
Ensuring a comfortable sleeping position becomes increasingly important for older individuals. Disrupted sleep can worsen memory and brain function, as well as increase the risk of falls or worsen dementia. Adjusting sleeping positions in older individuals to address these issues can improve sleep quality and aid in more restful sleep.
Sleeping on Your Side
Many patients with sleep apnoea have more events when they lie flat on their backs. Sleeping on your side can help reduce this frequency, as well as reduce snoring. It is important to discuss symptoms of snoring or sleep apnoea with your doctor, especially if this is associated with disrupted sleep and/or daytime sleepiness, as further testing and more formal management may be required.
Sleeping Upright
Gastro-oesophageal reflux can also disrupt sleep, which is often worse when lying down flat in bed. Elevating the head of the bed when lying on your back, either with a supportive pillow or an adjustable bed, can reduce reflux symptoms. This position can also improve sleep quality and reduce wakening at night.
Sleep Positions to Relieve Hip Pain
Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees can reduce hip pain while you’re resting. This position is great for keeping your hips aligned and reducing any strain on your joints. Make sure to choose a pillow which comfortably fits the space between the knees and ankles for ultimate comfort.
Sleep Positions for Back Pain
While sleeping flat on your back can be difficult for those who snore or suffer from sleep apnoea, this position can be beneficial for improving back pain. When you sleep on your back, the natural alignment of your spine is preserved, in turn reducing the likelihood of back and shoulder pain. Placing a pillow under your knees can further improve your comfort.
Our Recommended Sleep Positions for Seniors
Every sleep position should be personalised to the individual. For example, those with hip, back or neck pain should focus on choosing a supportive mattress and pillow, while those with problematic reflux may find an adjustable bed helpful. Avoiding sleeping on your back may also help those with snoring. By finding a comfortable sleeping position, the quality of sleep will be improved in older individuals, which will improve both physical health and mental well-being.
Tips for Improving Your Quality of Sleep as You Age
Ensuring good general sleep hygiene remains extremely important as we age, however, there are also some quick ways to improve sleep quality if you’re struggling to get a good night’s rest.
Implement a Regular Bed and Wake Up Schedule
As we age, we tend to fall asleep and wake earlier, so your bedtime may need to be adjusted to accommodate this. Dimming the lights before bed and providing access to bright daylight in the mornings can help with improving sleep/wake (circadian) rhythms and improve brain function. You should also try and sleep for at least 7 hours.
Change Your Bedding
The right bedding helps maintain a stable body temperature at night, in turn improving the quality of your slumber. Natural fibres, such as cotton, silk and wool bedding are recommended. Making sure your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet can also be incredibly beneficial.
Change Your Mattress
Pain and discomfort can disrupt sleep, but a supportive mattress can help to reduce joint (particularly hip) and back pains at night, ensuring more restful and better quality sleep. An adjustable bed can also help older individuals alleviate pressure on the hips and back at night, reducing joint pain and ensuring a more restful night’s sleep.
Change Your Pillow
Older individuals should have adequate head and neck support from their mattress and pillow, particularly when sleeping on their side. This can help reduce head and neck fatigue, as well as shoulder discomfort. Functional pillows, such as memory foam-type pillows, can improve comfort and support for the head, neck and shoulders, particularly in older individuals, when side sleeping.
Where chronic neck pain is problematic, a pillow that maintains the correct cervical curve of the neck could reduce neck pain and headaches. Neck fatigue is known to be less common when sleeping on pillows filled with latex or memory foam than when using pillows filled with feathers or cotton.
Wind Down and Stretch Before Bed
A period of winding down before bedtime, either reading or listening to music or a radio programme, can help your brain and body prepare for sleep. Gentle stretching in the morning and evening can also relieve back and hip pain, facilitating more restful sleep in older individuals.
Sleep on an Adjustable Bed
As aforementioned, an adjustable bed offers a high level of support for elderly individuals who want to get a more comfortable night’s sleep. Unlike traditional beds, adjustable beds offer a motorised bed frame designed especially to alleviate symptoms of certain health conditions commonly faced by the elderly.
Lisa Davis, a sales advisor at Opera, explains why this type of bed is so beneficial for this age group:
"Adjustable beds are incredibly versatile compared to standard beds. They allow seniors to easily adjust their sleeping and reclining positions to alleviate pressure points, improve circulation, and ease discomfort caused by conditions like arthritis. Many people have mentioned how much easier it is to fall asleep on our adjustable beds. The memory feature comes in handy as it saves your favourite position."
Get a Better Night’s Sleep with Opera Beds
Whether you’d like to know more about our adjustable beds and other sleeping aids, or want to get further advice on how to improve the quality of your sleep as you get older, why not arrange a free no-obligation consultation with a member of our friendly team today?
