Elderly Care Issues: Staying Up Late Could be Bad for Your Health
Elderly Care in Encino CA
When you are on an elderly care journey with your aging loved ones it is easy to feel like all of your time is dedicated to others and that you never have a chance to do anything for yourself. This 
can encourage you to go to extremes to sneak in some extra time to be on your own and just relax, which might mean turning into a night owl even when you know that you need some more sleep. Staying up a couple of extra hours might seem like a great way to give yourself a chance to relax, watch your favorite television shows, read a book, or even just have a conversation with your partner, but it can also have serious negative consequences for your health.
According to a study that was recently published in the “Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism,” researchers described the natural sleep cycles that make individuals either morning or night people. It also discusses how the natural inclinations for when to sleep might make a difference in health, regardless of the number of hours slept on any given night. The results showed that staying up late, no matter the reason, could be detrimental to their health.
Some of the findings of the study include the fact that those who tend to stay up later at night, regardless of how many hours they tend to sleep at night:
• Have higher risk of developing diabetes than those who wake early in the morning
• Tend to experience reduced muscle mass than those who wake early in the morning
• Tend to not sleep as well
• Are more likely to engage in unhealthy eating habits
• Tend to live a more sedentary lifestyle
It is important to note that the results remained consistent regardless of the number of hours that the people slept after staying up late. This means that while staying up late might make you feel like you are making more of your day and giving yourself your much-needed time for yourself, you are actually putting yourself at risk of serious health consequences that could diminish your quality of life and your ability to be the best quality caregiver possible for your loved ones.
Use these tips to help you protect your health by cutting back on your night owl tendencies and getting the sleep that you need:
• Establish a sleep schedule. Bed times are not just for little ones. Setting a sleep schedule including the time that you go to bed and when you wake up helps to teach your body to sleep at a healthy time and for the proper length of time, enabling you to get the energy that you need and encouraging your body to heal and rebuild at the end of each day.
• Take time for yourself. Rather than staying up late into the night to have time for yourself, schedule this time into your day. Even if that means hiring an elderly health care services provider to be with your parents more often, take time for yourself during the day so that you are not compelled to cut back on your sleep.
• Avoid unhealthy behaviors. Lifestyle choices such as smoking, consuming too much alcohol, and snacking at night can disrupt your sleep and exacerbate health consequences. Replace these behaviors with healthier choices.
If you or an aging loved one needs elderly care services in Encino, CA, call Livewell Private Care at (310) 933-4986. Servicing Los Angeles, CA and the surrounding areas.
http://blog.aarp.org/2015/04/03/night-owls-at-higher-risk-for-diabetes-health-problems/