A Good Night's Sleep: Drift Off to Sleep on a Cloud

I sleep on a cloud. Not a literal cloud, of course. But I read a click-bait type article at some point in my life that indicated, however truthfully, that hotels employ white bedding to have a blank canvas for you and your subconscious, making it easier to fall asleep. This I found intriguing and made a conscious effort to purchase all-white bedding. It has the effect that after a good night's sleep where I feel like I have submerged into a cloud and come out the other side well-rested.

Dementia and sleep

I have always been a big proponent of sleep! Perhaps that's because I am very aware of brain fog that can come with lack of sleep and the lethargy that can come with too much sleep, but a wealth of research has shown that people need this time of disconnection for good brain health.

"Can Sleep 'Brainwash' Away Toxins Tied to Alzheimer's" by TK Sellman summarizes well all of the research that I have found in regard to the relationship between dementia and poor sleep and the benefits of a good night's sleep, among them this possible, "rinse" cycle our brains can undergo when we sleep.

Who doesn't want a fresh, clean brain in the morning!

Tips for a good night's sleep

I did not stop at white bedding, but have been on a quest to optimize sleep! After all, sleep is frequently the thing that gets chipped away during busy days. A few minutes late for bed here, a few minutes early to rise, or pushing the snooze button again and throwing the whole schedule out of whack - all adds up.

Some considerations for better sleep, whether you are a caregiver or living with Alzheimer's:

Control the light

I use blackout curtains for both temperature moderation and in an effort to keep out light and noise, as necessary. Closing them at night time keeps out the artificial light from outside and any noise from my neighbors. I keep them open in the middle to allow some airflow from outside and to provide an area for the sun to wake me up in the morning.¹

Eliminate electronics

I'm sure you've heard this tip for better sleep so often, but, especially for its ability to help you to detach from your to-do list and the multitude of things vying for your attention, leave the phone in the other room. To all my anxious friends who think this would be the worst, I promise you that any problem that arises in the middle of the night, you will be thankful to have a full night's sleep before you have to face it.¹

Obviously, this tip doesn't apply to anyone who is an emergency responder! Thank you for compromising your sleep for us.

Background noise

I personally need a little background noise to fall asleep. Enter a smart speaker, if you have one! I use an Echo device and employ the "ambient noise" application. My favorite sounds are distant thunderstorms and ocean waves.

Another option is to ask the smart speaker to play a podcast or playlist that you find soothing. The Echo device allows you to set a sleep timer. Very few times have I been awake for the end of the 20-minute sleep timer ending the sounds of the distant thunderstorm. Other options could be using a fan or a tv with a sleep timer. I personally find the tv light to be a distraction.

Check your gut

Big meals prior to going to bed, especially those filled with sugar or caffeine, can be uncomfortable and keep you from sleep. I know it has been my experience to cut caffeine by 2 or 3 o’clock and I have also moved any dessert I may want to have to after lunch, as opposed to after dinner.¹

The reality is that, with my gut working to process whatever delicious morsel I've recently eaten, my body is less likely to relax into sleep. It took removing sugar from my diet for a period of time to realize this, but I've gotten much more restful sleep as a result.

More tips

I'm constantly looking for more tips on sleep. The CDC offers a great jumping-off point, and some of the above are touched on there. Ultimately, experiment with what might work for you, and then try to be as consistent as possible with your routine.

Alarms and routines can be particularly helpful as your body gets used to this process. Soon enough, you will get used to eating a few hours before you go to bed, leaving your phone in the kitchen, pulling your curtains taut, flipping on some ambient noise, and, perhaps, get the most restful sleep with whatever time you have to do so.