For People Who Wake Up at Night to Check the House or Use the Bathroom
Waking up during the night to check on your home or use the bathroom is common, but moving around in the dark can increase the risk of slips, trips, and falls. This is especially important for older adults or anyone who has difficulty seeing in low-light conditions.
A simple way to improve nighttime safety is to keep a soft, low-level light available along the route you commonly take. Motion-activated night lights can be particularly useful because they turn on automatically when movement is detected, so you do not have to search for a switch in the dark.
Keep hallways, stairs, and pathways free of clutter, loose rugs, electrical cords, and other objects that could cause you to trip. If you regularly get up to use the bathroom, make sure the route between your bed and bathroom is easy to navigate and adequately illuminated.
Taking a few precautions before bedtime can make nighttime trips around the house more comfortable and considerably safer.