Anyone who suffers from a medical condition that requires constant care probably doesn’t get a good night of sleep every evening. There are lots of ways to get a good night sleep if you have an illness, and if you have the right bed and the correct equipment, you should be able to sleep well every night. If you are wondering what the first steps are in improving your sleep, here are some tips on getting quality sleep even if you have a serious medical condition.
Purchase an appropriate bed
The best beds for people who suffer from an illness are those that mimic the features of hospital beds. When you are staying at a medical center and you need a higher level of care, the hospital beds have all sorts of special features to help patients stay comfortable. Perhaps most important is adjustable mattresses. A fully adjustable bed allows the person to tilt their legs up just enough to prevent edema complications without feeling stretched or contorted. An adjustable mattress similar to hospital beds is key because it allows people to position themselves so they don’t have to feel strained. This means they feel more comfortable at night and they have proper support for their head, neck, shoulders, upper and lower back, hips, thighs, legs and feet.
Find some relaxing activities to do before bed
Your doctor may be able to suggest some ideas for relaxing activities that can help you sleep better. Some examples are reading a book or listening to soothing music. Some people like to have a cup of tea in the evening to help them unwind and forget about the day. It is a good idea to stop watching television a few hours before you go to bed, because it can be easy to become engrossed in an interesting T.V. show. When it ends, you might be over-excited and it can be harder to fall asleep. It’s also a good idea to avoid any stressful emotional interactions before bed, because this can derail you and make it difficult to calm down again.
Set a schedule
It may seem childish to set a bedtime and a regular time to wake up, but one of the most important ways people can regulate their sleep is by having a set schedule that they always follow. It will be hard to get used to the routine at first, but after a few weeks it will definitely make a difference. Setting a bedtime that you never deviate from teaches your body that it is time for bed, and you will eventually naturally develop a pattern of becoming sleepy at night near your bedtime. It’s also important to wake up at the same time every day because sleeping in and starting your day late can disrupt your whole routine. If you need help setting a schedule and sticking to it, you can write down your plans on a piece of paper and keep track of when and how often you were successful in following through with them.
Meditate
When you are lying in bed exhausted but still unable to get to sleep, one option is to meditate. Meditation in its simplest form is just focusing on your breathing, and when you become so focused on taking breaths in and out, everything else empties from your mind and you become very calm. If you find that your thoughts are often racing at night, this is something you should try when you can’t sleep.
