How Sleep Changes in Alzheimer’s Patients
Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that affects the brain in extremely complex ways. As patients with Alzheimer’s get worse, their sleeping patterns can become incredibly disrupted and difficult to manage.
Factors like confusion, disorientation, sundowner’s syndrome, and muscle pain can all interfere with the idea of a regular sleep schedule. As a result, it’s important for family and caretakers to be aware of and understand the sleeping changes that occur in Alzheimer’s patients.
Not only does this make it easier to provide support and care during these necessary times for rest, but it can also help understand changes to their mental health, productivity, and functioning throughout the day.
Difficulties Establishing Regular Sleep Schedule
Sleeping gains its regularity in through patterns that develop over time. Without these patterns, it becomes a lot more difficult for a patient to understand when they should be sleeping and when they should be awake. This can often result in behavior like sleeping at inopportune times, frequent nighttime wake up calls, and more.
This also affects the amount of sleep a person gets throughout the night. Without clear cues for the body, it can lead to longer rest periods that can interfere with their daily functioning and activities.
Changes in Sleep Quality for Alzheimer’s Patients
Sleep is not just about how much of it we get, but also about the quality of our rest during that time. Due to confusion, agitation, and frequent nighttime wake-up, many Alzheimer’s patients struggle with getting quality sleep.
However, regular quality rest is an invaluable component of keeping a patient healthy and ensure they continue to get all the support they need. To provide better quality sleep care, loved ones should pay attention to how their Alzheimer’s patient is sleeping, and look to schedule or implement activities that can provide relief and improved sleep.
Time-Context-Reward is one of the most popular methods for creating better sleeping habits. This system devised by Alzheimer’s Caregiver acts as a cue to help patients remember meaningful activities that can lead to a better sleep environment and improved quality rest.
Tips for Improved Sleep Quality
- Consistent Routines: a preset routine for the day can help patient better understand how the day is going to flow. Aim for consistency if possible between days as well.
- Natural Light: Natural sunlight helps keep the circadian rhythms in sync, so ensure there is plenty of natural light in the house during the day.
- Lower Noise: noises at night can mess around with the patient’s sleeping patterns. Lowering the amount of noise in the bedroom or house can help reduce any disruption.
- Higher Comfort: a comfortable sleep environment is key for a good night’s rest. Make sure the room temperature is comfortable and the mattress provides proper support.
- Reduced Caffeine: drinks like coffee and tea can have a significant effect on sleep cycles, so reducing these or avoiding them completely is key.
Conclusion
Alzheimer’s can cause changes to the sleeping patterns of a patient, which can lead to a deterioration in health and quality of life. For family and caretakers, understanding these changes and implementing strategies for ensuring quality sleep is of great importance in providing proper care and support for the patient.