As I enter my sixth month of pregnancy, the concept of a good night’s sleep seems elusive to me. Even though I’m surrounding myself with eight different pillows to support my aching back, swollen feet, and growing belly at night, the worries of the day and the normal fear of being a first-time mom in September seem to permeate the fort of down pillows on my bed.

Lately, I’ve been feeling the effects of insomnia and sleep deprivation. I can’t shake this lingering cold and by the time the end of the week hits, I’d rather have a date with my pillow than a romantic night out on the town with my dear husband.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, Americans are more sleep-deprived than people in other countries. Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, and health and safety reasons.

As caregivers, seven to nine hours of sleep each night is something that we can only hope or wish for. If we are caring for an ill spouse or an elderly parent, falling into a deep sleep or occasional periods of active dreaming, known as REM sleep, are not options for us. We’re overcome with anxiety that our loved one may fall on the way to the bathroom or wander into the street.

If the doctor has prescribed some type of diuretic or “water pill” for our history of cardiac problems or swelling in our feet and legs, we tend to count how many times we go to the bathroom at night versus sheep jumping over a fence.

According to SleepDeprivation.Com, without adequate rest, the brain's ability to function quickly deteriorates. The brain works harder to counteract sleep deprivation effects, but operates less effectively: concentration levels drop, and memory becomes impaired.
Similarly, the brain's ability to problem solve is greatly impaired. Decision-making abilities are compromised, and the brain falls into rigid thought patterns that make it difficult to generate new problem-solving ideas. In some instances, insufficient rest can also cause people to have hallucinations.
Other typical effects of sleep deprivation include:
· Depression;
· Heart disease;
· Hypertension;
· Irritability;
· Slower reaction times;
· Slurred speech, and;
· Tremors.
What can we do, as caregivers, to ensure that we don’t burn out as a result of sleep deprivation?
· Talk to your loved one’s physician about their sleep disturbances. Make the doctor aware of your loved one’s changing sleep patterns, so you could discuss possible other solutions.
· Consider asking a family member or hiring a home care agency to provide you with some respite at night.
· If your loved one tends to wake often at night to go the bathroom, ensure that the proper durable medical equipment are installed in the bathroom to reduce the risks of falls. Think about obtaining a three-in-one commode for your family member’s bedroom, so they don’t have to travel to the hallway bathroom at night. Install grab bars and purchase raised toilet seats with handlebars for all bathrooms. Ensure hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms are free of clutter and well-lit.
· If your loved one tends to wander at night (or any time of day – for that matter), register them with the Alzheimer’s Association MedicAlert Safe Return Program. Purchase a door chime for the door, so that if your family member attempts to open the door, you’ll hear it.

Unfortunately, if we’re one of those lucky people who have to take a diuretic or “water pill” or if we’re an expectant mother whose baby tends to rest his head on our bladder at night, then the “power nap” or the daytime nap might be our only solution. (As for myself, thank goodness for the weekend naps.)

The bottom line is our bodies cannot survive without sleep. If we choose to keep running without a good night’s sleep, we’ll find ourselves in the doctor’s office or even the emergency room.