Sleep is vital to your well-being. It helps you to retain a healthy weight, helps your body and mind repair, and assists you in functioning to your best abilities when awake. Yet despite the importance of resting well, certain factors can affect your ability to get the recommended seven to nine hours. One of these is incontinence.
Symptoms of this can affect people at all stages of their lives, including the young and elderly. It can be a result of surgery and hormone changes, as well as cognitive and mobility issues. Thankfully, various innovative solutions exist, all of which promise to heighten your comfort at night.
In this guide, we discuss what these are. Read on to discover more.
1. Pads for Beds
If you are suffering from incontinence symptoms, you’re bedbound, or you’re caring for someone with cognitive issues, investing in bed pads is a great way to counteract this.
Disposal pads are amongst the most prevalent products on the market today. They can be placed on your bed in the same way you would use a mattress protector. These can be used alongside incontinence underwear. In addition to protecting your mattress, they can safeguard chairs, car seats, sofas, wheelchairs, or other furniture susceptible to incontinence leakage.
Brands who stock these products will give guidance on their absorbency rates and their lifespan peruse. Most people will dispose of them upon waking up, replacing them with a new pad every day.
2. Adult Diapers
Another prevalent product favored by those suffering from incontinence is adult diapers. These nifty products are available in various sizes, with many boasting a cotton-like feel for comfort. In addition to unisex options, male and female diapers are available. There are also those with different absorbency rates and savvy odor-control capabilities.
There are also versions with adjustable tabs for added comfort. Before donning your diaper, it’s important to bathe yourself first and never wear one for longer than the recommended period. Wearing these to bed gives you peace of mind, knowing that you won’t be susceptible to accidents overnight, ensuring you stay dry and comfortable, which assists in getting that much-needed shuteye.
Diapers also offer peace of mind when staying overnight at the houses of friends and family or when enjoying a vacation. Just remember to pack enough for the duration of your trip.
3. Lotions and Ointments
When you suffer from incontinence, diapers and bed pads can cause skin irritation, especially if you suffer from sensitive skin. Thankfully, there are various lotions, anti-bacterial wipes, and skin-softening potions available. These should be applied to your skin after cleansing, just before bed. Doing so will help to promote a comfortable sleep.
In addition, invest in incontinence products designed with sensitive skin in mind, such as those crafted from cotton-like fabrics or bamboo. You may even wish to switch between disposal and reusable options to see which products work better with your skin.
4. Cotton Clothing
In addition to ensuring you stay dry throughout the night, it’s important to stay cool, too. If you can, set your room temperature to approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This is said to be the optimal temperature to promote solid sleep.
Try to avoid wearing heavy clothing and invest in cool, cotton pajamas instead. Staying cool at night plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of your sleep and prevents you from suffering from “sleep hot,” which can wreak havoc on your sleep quality.
Why? It can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night with night sweats. This will often lead to broken sleep, meaning you’ll wake up tired and agitated.
5. Meditation Practices
If you’re still struggling to sleep, practicing meditation can help your body and mind to unwind. This is particularly beneficial if you suffer from anxious thoughts or struggle to get your mind to switch off.
Simple meditation exercises, which can be found online, can help you unwind, relax, and let go of worrisome thoughts. Additionally, this ancient practice lowers your heart rate and encourages slower breathing, which helps you drift off to sleep.
To add to the relaxing ambiance, when meditating, light a soothing candle or dim the lights. You can even play relaxing music or douse a sleep spray around your room.
The Bottom Line
If you’re struggling to stay comfortable at night, it’s important to remember you’re not alone and there are solutions available. Provided you do your research and invest in one of the many products that promote a restless night’s sleep, you can ensure you rest easily.
From ensuring you remain dry throughout the night with the help of incontinence products to practicing meditation and keeping your room cool, there are plenty of tips and tricks to follow. All help to promote a good night’s sleep. The result? You wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day without worrying about unexpected leakage or worrisome thoughts.
As always, what works for one person may not work for you. For best results, be patient with yourself and take a trial-and-error approach to the products available to help you find the one bespoke to your needs and lifestyle.
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