For many caregivers and family members, understanding and managing the well-being of loved ones with dementia can sometimes be confusing and challenging. While dementia primarily affects thinking, memory, and communication, it can also affect sleep patterns and may cause some people to sleep a lot.
Memory care in senior living communities can provide much-needed support for loved ones with dementia. Learning more about dementia and memory care can help you support your loved one’s health and wellness.
What Is Dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term for several medical conditions that involve declining cognitive function that interferes with daily life. It’s not a single specific disease but rather a collection of symptoms affecting the brain.
Dementia occurs more in older adults, but it isn’t considered a normal part of aging. Alzheimer’s disease is the most well known form of dementia, but there are other types of dementia too, such as:
- Vascular dementia
- Lewy body dementia
- Fronto-temporal dementia
- Mixed dementia
What Causes Dementia?
The exact causes of dementia are not fully understood, but many types are associated with damage to nerve cells in the brain. This damage can interfere with the brain’s ability to communicate, affecting thinking, behavior, and feelings.
Symptoms of Dementia
The symptoms of dementia can vary, but it can affect the following abilities for many people:
- Memory
- Communication and language
- The ability to focus and pay attention
- Reasoning and judgment
- Visual perception
The signs that a person may have dementia can also vary, depending on the type and stage, but can include the following:
- Getting lost in familiar surroundings or neighborhoods
- Using unusual words for familiar objects
- Forgetting a close family member or friend’s names
- Forgetting old memories
- Being unable to complete tasks independently
The Relationship Between Dementia & Sleep
Sleep changes can occur among those with dementia, especially in later stages as the disease progresses. Understanding sleep patterns and disturbances related to dementia can be crucial for supporting your loved one.
Changes in Sleep Patterns
Many people with dementia experience a disruption of their normal sleep cycle. These can manifest as:
- Insomnia, or difficulty falling asleep
- Waking up more often during the night
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Waking up prematurely in the morning
- Sundowning (increased restlessness and confusion at dusk and through the night)
Factors Influencing Sleep Disturbances in Dementia Patients
Several factors can contribute to sleep disturbances in dementia patients, including:
- The degeneration of brain structures that regulate sleep
- Medication side effects
- Mental and physical exhaustion
- Pain and certain health conditions
- Disorientation
- Environmental factors, such as noise and light levels
- Depression
- Restless leg syndrome
- Sleep apnea
Vascular Dementia & Excessive Sleep
Excessive sleeping is common in people with vascular dementia and can also develop before vascular dementia presents. While sleep disturbances occur mainly in middle to late-stage dementia, excessive sleepiness can occur in any stage of vascular dementia.
Strategies for Improving Sleep with Dementia
There are a few strategies that may help someone with dementia maintain healthy sleep patterns. It’s important to recognize that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to caring for someone with dementia—and that patience and adaptability are key to finding what works for each individual.
Creating a Healthy Sleep Environment
Helping make a loved one’s sleeping environment comfortable, quiet, and dark can help promote better sleep. Eliminating or minimizing disruptions such as noise or light can be helpful, as can making sure the room temperature is comfortable. Activities such as reading or listening to calming music may help some people with dementia relax and wind down.
Treat Underlying Conditions
Treating conditions that cause sleep problems, such as depression, sleep apnea, or restless legs syndrome, can be crucial for helping promote better sleep.
Establishing a Routine
Routines can be very comforting for people with dementia, and a consistent bedtime and morning routine can help promote healthy sleep patterns. It may help to have the routine written out in an accessible way. Limiting daytime sleeping or long afternoon naps may also help some people fall asleep more easily at night.
Use of Non-Pharmacological Interventions
Managing or changing medications and avoiding the overuse of them is crucial in dementia care, as the side effects of some medications may cause sleep disturbances. Non-drug treatments, such as light therapy and relaxation techniques, may be an effective alternative to sleep medications that can help some people with dementia get restful sleep.
Avoid Stimulants & Encourage Physical Activity
Stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine should be avoided at night, as they can interfere with sleep. However, physical activity during the day can help promote better sleep at night, so it may be helpful to help your loved one go for walks and engage in other physical activities that they can do safely.
Supporting Caregivers & Family Members
In tandem with implementing strategies for improving sleep, it’s equally important to provide resources that can support the caregivers and family members who play a critical role in the lives of those with dementia.
Healthcare professionals and senior living communities can provide education about dementia and its associated sleep disturbances and empower caregivers to manage the challenges they face when caring for a loved one with dementia.
Memory Care for Loved Ones with Dementia
The importance of addressing sleep issues in people with dementia is vital to their health and well-being. By understanding the root causes of sleep disturbances, implementing practical strategies, and providing support, you could help improve the quality of life of your loved ones affected by dementia.
If you’re looking for a community that can provide support for living well, you’ve found one in The Enclave of Springboro. Contact us for more information about our individualized memory care program, Lilac Trace Memory Care, and learn how we can support your loved ones with personalized care and services.
