Effective behavioural strategies to promote sleep include
encouraging a bedtime routine with a consistent retiring
and arising time. Elders with a routine, such as watching
television or reading before going to bed, report fewer
sleep complaints than those without one. The patient also
should be advised to avoid heavy meals or spicy food, caffeine,
and smoking or other tobacco use before bedtime.
Regular exercise also can improve sleep quality. Daytime
exercise slightly increases the amount of Stage 3 and
Stage 4 sleep, possibly by bringing about elevations in
daytime core body temperature. Exposure to sunlight improves
the average time elders remain asleep because
bright light increases the production of melatonin.