Managing Sundown Syndrome, pt 4

The importance of sleep for elderly parents with dementia can not be overstated. Sleep deprivation makes Sundowning worse. Yet Sundowning itself disrupts sleep. You see the vicious cycle, right?

Breaking this cycle means being strict about daytime sleep. Try limiting naps to 30 minutes, and definitely no naps after 3 p.m. Cut out caffeine by noon. Even that afternoon tea might disrupt sleep. The same can be said of alcohol, which fragments sleep quality.

Make the bedroom a sleep sanctuary: cool, dark, and quiet. Keep familiar photos nearby for orientation if the senior with dementia wakes up confused.

Most experts recommend trying behavioral approaches before medications. Sleeping pills come with complications for elderly with dementia. But if you’ve tried everything and sleep is still a disaster, talk to the doctor. Sometimes medication makes sense. The Alzheimer’s Association encourages non-drug measures as the first approach for sleep issues primarily due to Alzheimer’s disease.

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