Sleep Deprivation
One of the most common issues that caregivers face when providing care for someone with dementia is that persons with dementia often do not sleep well or are awake often during the night. Between the stress of the day to day care and the struggles with getting your parent to sleep fully at night, caregivers find that exhaustion is their daily companion, too.
There are many factors that can cause a person with dementia not to get a full night of rest.
- The brain's internal clock may be disrupted causing confusion between days and nights.
- The body no longer requires as much sleep
- The dementia may make it difficult for the person to recognize the differences between dreams and reality.
- Diet changes or poor eating habits may result in difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.
An all-too-common quick fix for sleep has been the use of prescription sleep aids or over-the-counter pain medications with a nighttime sleep aid. Consulting the physician is very important when considering this type of intervention. These medications can, in fact, cause an increase in confusion as well as make the person with dementia unsteady and at risk for falls and breakage of bones. Additionally, the effectiveness of a sleep aid is typically 14 days. After that, the medication is often not able to work effectively leading to a need for an increase in the dosage.
Are there effective, non-medicinal ways to help a person get a full night of rest?
There are effective, less concerning suggestions for improving sleep, such as:
- Limiting or eliminating caffeine after mid-day. Caffeine is found in significant doses in coffee, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate, and some teas.
- Limiting the intake of fluids after 6:00 pm. Trips to the bathroom at night may lead to difficulty falling back to sleep.?
- Staying busy with meaningful activities during the day. The common misunderstanding is that when an elderly person is sleeping in his chair it's because he really needs his rest. Often the days of sleep are caused by boredom and a lack of anything meaningful to keep him occupied. Get physically active during the day take a walk, do some light gardening, play some golf, get some chores done, etc.
- Keep a structured routine. As much as possible, ensure that the person with dementia is rising and going to bed at the same time everyday.
- Ensure that the lighting is good all day. Shadows and poor lighting give the feeling of nighttime.
- Assess for all pain and treat it promptly.
- Avoid rigorous activity five hours before bed.
If someone you care for is struggling with sleep problems, please call us and let us know the specifics. We're here to help! You can reach Sollievo at (317) 753-7447.
