Napping In Seniors: What’s Normal & What’s Not

Our American culture has made napping feel like a lazy or luxurious event, regardless that many cultures accept afternoon naps (siesta, riposo, úti, inemuri) as normal and healthy. Most experts agree that afternoon naps (ranging from 30 to 90 minutes) rest the body and can even help to reduce the risk - and slow down the progression of - dementia.

However, naps and increased naps may be signs worthy of attention. 

Napping In Seniors And What It Says About Their Health

Here are some of the things the wise folks at Johns Hopkins Medicine have to say about seniors and napping:

• Scientists found that people who napped for 30 to 90 minutes had better word recall – a sign of good memory – than those who did not nap or napped for longer than 90 minutes.
  
• People who napped for that golden 30 to 90 minutes were also better at figure drawing, another sign of good cognition.
  
• Research says that the best time for older adults to take a nap is between 1 and 4 p.m. because of their sleep-wake cycles,

So, after a light, healthy lunch, feel free to sit back, relax, and close your eyes to give your brain some rest and rejuvenation.

When Napping Becomes A Red Flag

Then, there are times when conscientious caregivers suspect senor naps are not necessarily helping their client or loved one feel more alert and energized. Sometimes, excess napping is a sign of:

Malnourishment/lack of hydration

Undernourishment is a real risk for seniors who can’t prepare fresh and healthy meals for themselves regularly. The same is true for dehydration. If you notice your loved ones missing calls or social engagements due to sleeping the day away, ensure they have access to nourishing food and are drinking plenty of water throughout the day.

Read our post on how to detect malnourishment and what to do about it.

Sleeping for long daytime periods may indicate depression

Seniors who live alone or who are not able to get out of the house and connect with others without assistance are at high risk for depression. Sleeping “too much” is a common red flag. Check in with your loved one and make sure that they are:

• Attending their regular church or spiritual organizations as usual.
• Get to any clubs, meetings, or gatherings they’re usually a part of.
• Converse with the neighbors like they used to.
• Able to get transportation to the places they want to go and the things they want to do.

Ask them about their moods and read between the lines. Look carefully at their face and body language when they answer. Many parents and grandparents don’t realize how depressed they are or they don’t want to worry their loved ones. If you suspect depression is an issue, help them get the help they need via their physician, a local therapist who specializes in senior mental health, or their priest/rabbi/pastor, etc.

Lack of physical activity and social engagement

Sometimes, naps are a sign that seniors aren’t getting enough physical activity or social engagement in their daily or weekly routine. Yes, naps can be restful. However, the law of inertia teaches us that an object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object (or human) at rest tends to stay at rest. 

Taking naps for longer than an hour or so may indicate that your loved one needs more stimulating activities to get their neurons firing and interested in getting up and about. It may be time to:

• Find a way to get them exercising each day.
• Work with them to find groups, clubs, events, and activities available in their community and ensure they have safe transportation to get them there and back. Seniors who are used to being productive may enjoy connecting with one of the many Bay Area organizations that could use their volunteer help.
• Help loved ones who aren’t tech savvy by getting them senior-friendly gadgets and then enlist the extended family to create a calendar where people take turns scheduling video dates, email, or text communication. This can help seniors feel more connected to their extended family and less socially isolated. It is also a great way to help grandchildren form bonds with grandparents who live far away). 

Napping in seniors may indicate issues with medication management

Sleepiness or grogginess could also be a sign that their medications:

• Aren’t working well together.
• Are being over or under taken.
• Have been skipped altogether.
• Need to be switched or readjusted to minimize negative side effects.

First, make sure there’s a medication management system in place. If you feel confident medications are taken as prescribed - without interruption - it might be time to schedule a consultation with the pharmacist. Bring a complete list of the medications/doses to the appointment and see what they think. Sometimes, pharmacists catch contraindications and other red flags that are missed by well-meaning physicians and specialists. 

If your loved one’s memory issues compromise their ability to take medications as prescribed, it’s time to think about bringing caregivers onto the scene to respect their independence and facilitate a safe and healthy quality of life at home.

They have nighttime sleep issues

If your loved one isn’t sleeping well at night, they’re more prone to having a “second sleep”—more than a restful nap—during the day. Unfortunately, this begins to mess with their circadian rhythm and can be a hard cycle to break.

If physical, mental/emotional, and social levels feel healthy, it may be time to get strict about establishing a new bedtime routine. This includes:

• Avoid stimulants like caffeine, sugar, alcohol, etc., for at least a couple of hours before bed.
• Establish the same sleep and wake times daily to get back on track.
• Closing the blinds and dimming the lights for at least 30 - 60 minutes before bedtime to catalyze melatonin production.
• Creating a soothing bedtime routine (reading books, listening to calm music, using guided meditation, taking a warm bath, etc.)

If this doesn’t work, talk to their physician about their nighttime sleep problems to help find the underlying cause and targeted solutions.

HomeAide Home Care Ensures Healthy Napping In Seniors

Are you worried about a senior loved one who lives alone? Does it seem like their naps are more of a retreat from the world than about rest and relaxation? Maybe it’s time to schedule a free, no-obligation assessment with a local caregiving agency.

HomeAide Home Care has provided every level of care and assistance to help our clients live safely and contentedly at home. We offer everything from part-time wellness checks, meal preparation, light housekeeping, and transportation services to overnight, live-in, and full-time care. Contact us to learn more about how we can help.