1 out of every 3 people in the U.S. don’t get enough sleep. It’s no surprise that those statistics are even higher for hospice caregivers. The demands of being a caregiver for a terminally ill loved one are present during both the day and the night. Lots of those caregivers are elderly partners of patients, and may suffer greatly from the effects of short sleep. Hospice professionals deal with many of the same issues.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, being chronically sleep deprived can lead to obesity, stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure. When you add these health concerns to the burdens that caregivers already struggle with (grief, depression, compassion fatigue), it doesn’t give a very positive outlook.
There are some things you can do to help promote longer, better sleep. Here are a few to get you started on good sleep hygiene.
Exercise – daily, not too close to bedtime. Even as little as 10 minutes a day can help. Walking, dance, yoga. Do whatever moves you!
Disconnect – turn off your phone, TV, and computer in the evening. Images from these devices stimulate the brain instead of helping it to relax.
Caffeine, nicotine, and fluid intake – switch to decaf and limit your nicotine and fluid intake during the evening hours.
A warm shower/bath – helps to relax the body before bed.
A cool, dark sleeping space – create an environment in your sleeping area that is custom designed for your best sleep.
Keep a waking/bedtime schedule – set an alarm to remind you of your bedtime, as well as one to get you up in the morning. Try to stick with it every day.
White noise – this might drown out bothersome sounds. I use a white noise app on my phone or iPad that helps me to sleep. A fan can help with this, too.
If you’re a family caregiver, you might find that your sleep is interrupted frequently. Your loved one probably doesn’t need help only during the day; he might also need you during the nighttime hours. One of the best ways to fight caregiver burnout – ask for help! You might want to do all the care yourself, but it’s important to remember that you can’t do any caregiving if you don’t take care of yourself.
If your caree is on hospice, ask your hospice team members for tips on good sleep hygiene. Be sure to ask about respite as well (a level of care that provides up to 5 days of relief for caregivers of hospice patients). It won’t cost you a dime. Remember that you’re not alone – you have a whole team of hospice professionals who can provide support, encouragement, and let you know what resources are available to help you.
Providing care 24/7 is what interdisciplinary teams do all the time, but even we have to be smart about how we take care of ourselves. Good sleep hygiene as part of a self care regimen is a huge help. The “Superman” Syndrome will deplete your energy, and isolate you. (Remember – there’s a hospice team for a reason!) Talk to the other disciplines on your interdisciplinary team for support, guidance, and relief of your burnout.
For more information on sleep hygiene and how to promote healthy, better sleep, check out the websites for the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the National Sleep Foundation. Just click on the links below to visit these sites.
Looking for a speaker for your conference or organization? The hosts of The Heart of Hospice are available to speak on a variety of topics, including Advance Care Planning, communication and listening, Hospice History/Hospice 101, and Self Care. Just send us an email to host@theheartofhospice.com. We’ll get back to you with a personal reply.
Remember, no matter who you are,
Or where you are in your hospice journey,
You are the Heart of Hospice.