Sometimes, it is a matter of changing your sleeping habits in order to get a good night’s sleep. One of the many suggestions doctors will tell older adults is to develop a bedtime routine and stick to it, even when traveling. You are training your body to expect sleep at a certain time, which will help improve your sleep patterns. Here are a few more suggestions for older adults in regards to getting a good, restful sleep:

Exercise is important, not only for your health, but also improving sleep. Because sleep is a rejuvenator, exercise can tire your body enough to where it needs that sleep to recuperate.

Keep your sleeping area cool, dark and quiet. Many older adults experience many body changes like menopause, so hot flashes are sometimes the norm. Keeping cool allows your body to advance from drowsiness to sleep. Dark and quiet time simulates the night, which helps keep your circadian rhythms in check.

Choose several relaxing activities and incorporate them into your bedtime routine. Soft music, a good book and even a glass of warm milk are all great ideas. Warm milk is especially helpful as it contains tryptophan, which is a natural sleep aid.

Journaling your day also helps you put your thoughts and worries on paper, so that your mind isn’t clouded at bedtime. Stress and obsessing over events that happened in your day are several things that interfere with sleep patterns.

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