Sleep Disturbances and Dementia

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Angels By Visiting Angels-Alabama Gulf Coast

For more information about the author, click to view their website: Visiting Angels - Gulf Shores

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Dec 08, 2024

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Alabama - Gulf Coast

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Sleep Disturbances And Dementia

According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, about 25 percent of people with mild to moderate dementia experience disturbances in their sleep. Nearly half of the individuals with severe dementia experience sleep disturbances, indicating that sleep troubles worsen as dementia progresses.

If you or someone you love has dementia, understanding what sleep disturbances are and how to manage them may help improve life quality and sleep.

 

What Is A Sleep Disturbance?

A sleep disturbance is a condition that affects a person’s ability to fall or stay asleep, including sleep disorders like insomnia. A sleep disturbance can also include a condition that affects a person’s wakefulness, like sleep apnea.

Signs and symptoms related to sleep disorders can vary depending on the condition, but people who have trouble sleeping may experience:

 

  • Difficulty falling asleep even when feeling tired
  • Waking up throughout the night
  • Feeling fatigued throughout the day

 

How Are Dementia and Sleep Disturbances Related?

Experts are still trying to assess the exact correlation between dementia and sleep disturbances. One possible reason for sleep troubles is that dementia can affect a person’s production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone in the brain that makes people sleepy when it’s dark and alert when it’s bright outside. As the brain changes with dementia, it may affect a person’s melatonin production and sleep.

Other causes of sleep disturbances for people with dementia may include dementia medications or confusion at night, also called sundowning.

 

What Is Sundowning?

Sundowning is when a person with dementia has increased confusion at night. Sundowning is not a condition but a symptom of dementia that may cause a person to feel anxious, disorientated, or agitated. A person experiencing sundowning may also begin to pace, have trouble falling asleep, or have hallucinations.

 

Tips For Managing Sleep Disturbances

Sleep disturbances related to dementia can be a bit more difficult to manage, but a few lifestyle changes may help seniors fall and stay asleep.

 

Follow A Routine

Routines are helpful for seniors with dementia because they give predictability to their day. Routines can also train the body when to be awake and tired. A solid routine includes establishing a regular bedtime to get the body and mind conditioned for sleep.

 

Create A Relaxing Sleep Environment

You want the environment you sleep in to be relaxing. It should be free of distractions like televisions, cell phones, and laptops. It should also be dim or dark and at a comfortable temperature.

 

Find A Support Group

Dementia support groups are a great place to connect with others going through similar situations. Group leaders and members may also offer advice on how they or a loved one have slept better. If you’re interested in a free group, the Gulf Coast Dementia Services Support Groups meet for an hour on the second Tuesday of every month.

 

Dementia Care With Visiting Angels

Caring for a loved one with dementia is hard work, and it’s not something you have to do alone. At Visiting Angels, we provide at-home care services to help seniors age in place, including specialized care services for those with dementia.

Our team offers full-time, part-time, and overnight care to help dementia patients who may struggle with sleep disturbances. Caregivers provide physical and emotional support to help clients feel safe and comfortable at home. Services can include medication reminders, creating a relaxing sleep environment, encouraging bedtime, and mobility around the house. We also provide light housekeeping, meal preparation, appointment transportation, and personal grooming.

 

Contact our Gulf Shores office at 251-943-7525 to learn more about our at-home care and dementia services.

 

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Angels by Visiting Angels - Gulf Shores

Non-Medical 1313 South Commercial Drive, Foley, Alabama, 36535

Welcome to Visiting Angels of Gulf Shores! We are an essential personal in home care agency serving families in Mobile and the surrounding communities.Our services are flexible, affordable, and comprehensive. When you choose Visiting Angels for your senior care services, you will be matched with a professional, compassionate, and reliable caregiver.Senior home care services from Visiting Angels Daphne Area will provide assistance for those coping with the effects of aging. We also provide assistance to those with chronic care conditions including heart disease, multiple sclerosis, COPD, congestive heart failure, Alzheimers, and cancer.Our team of professional caregivers includes home health aides and Certified Nurses Assistants with experience to provide your loved one with a superior level of care. Call our Daphne-area office today to learn more about our home care services. We look forward to hearing from you!Our list of in-home care services include:Meal PreparationLight HousekeepingErrandsShoppingWalksMedication RemindersAffordable Hourly RatesHourly Care 24/7Multiple Shift CareTemporary or Long Term CareWeekends & HolidaysRespite Care for Family CaregiversRewarding Companionship

Angels by Visiting Angels - Daphne

Non-Medical 25369 U.S. 98, Daphne, Alabama, 36526

Welcome to Visiting Angels of Daphne! We are an essential personal in home care agency serving families in Mobile and the surrounding communities. Our services are flexible, affordable, and comprehensive. When you choose Visiting Angels for your senior care services, you will be matched with a professional, compassionate, and reliable caregiver.Senior home care services from Visiting Angels Daphne Area will provide assistance for those coping with the effects of aging. We also provide assistance to those with chronic care conditions including heart disease, multiple sclerosis, COPD, congestive heart failure, Alzheimers, and cancer. Our team of professional caregivers includes home health aides and Certified Nurses Assistants with experience to provide your loved one with a superior level of care. Call our Daphne-area office today to learn more about our home care services. We look forward to hearing from you!Our list of in-home care services include:Meal PreparationLight HousekeepingErrandsShoppingWalksMedication RemindersAffordable Hourly RatesHourly Care 24/7 Multiple Shift CareTemporary or Long Term CareWeekends & HolidaysRespite Care for Family CaregiversRewarding Companionship

Angels by Visiting Angels - Mobile

Non-Medical 5901 Airport Boulevard, Mobile, Alabama, 36608

Welcome to Visiting Angels of Mobile! We are an essential personal in home care agency serving families in Mobile and the surrounding communities.Our services are flexible, affordable, and comprehensive. When you choose Visiting Angels for your senior care services, you will be matched with a professional, compassionate, and reliable caregiver.Senior home care services from Visiting Angels Daphne Area will provide assistance for those coping with the effects of aging. We also provide assistance to those with chronic care conditions including heart disease, multiple sclerosis, COPD, congestive heart failure, Alzheimers, and cancer.Our team of professional caregivers includes home health aides and Certified Nurses Assistants with experience to provide your loved one with a superior level of care. Call our Daphne-area office today to learn more about our home care services. We look forward to hearing from you!Our list of in-home care services include:Meal PreparationLight HousekeepingErrandsShoppingWalksMedication RemindersAffordable Hourly RatesHourly Care 24/7Multiple Shift CareTemporary or Long Term CareWeekends & HolidaysRespite Care for Family CaregiversRewarding Companionship