Carers and Sleep
Being a carer for somebody can bring with it many challenges as well as rewards and a carer’s quality of sleep can suffer. Factors such as stress, interrupted nights, or money worries can all have a negative effect on sleep patterns and make life more challenging.
Getting a good night’s sleep is important for us all and it may be useful to understand why.
While we sleep our bodies carry out many important functions that are needed for optimal health and wellbeing. These functions include the processing of information and memories that we have acquired throughout the day and when we sleep our brains re-organise this information and transfer it to different parts of the brain for future use. Our bodies also use sleep to restore, repair and grow.
Poor sleep on a regular basis can put you at risk of more serious medical conditions and can affect your concentration and decision-making, making your role as carer harder. Lack of sleep can also make you feel low in mood and increases the risk of having accidents in the home, at work or on the road.
The following websites have further information and tips on achieving a good nights sleep: