Advice

Is it typical for people with dementia to sleep a lot during the day?

My mum has just recently been sleeping so much during the day in the chair ,at the same time becoming incontinent whilst she sleeps during day and night. All she wants to do is stay in bed unless I take her to one of her clubs or day centre. She came home today from memory cafe xmas party at 4.20 saying she is going to bed. She never got out of bed until. 12.15 lunchtime to get ready to go and then straight back in bed. I understand the decline in the altzheimers. Is causing this and it is difficult as a daughter and carer to see this decline. Also her appetite is not good either. it is upsetting to see your loved ones get frail like this, but after reading other blogs appreciate we are all in the same position and heartache.

Thank you everyone. I hadn't seen anything explaining this before. As a result of 2 strokes my mother has Vascular Dementia. She has had no proactive help or information from health staff about it. She's been falling deeply asleep for large periods of the day for over 2 years. For a year at home this was bent double in her kitchen chair with her head on the kitchen table in the mornings, in danger of falling off onto the floor. In the afternoons I often found her bent forwards fast asleep in her arm chair, even with the TV on loud due to her decreasing hearing. For a year now she's been in a care home to benefit from the 24 hour care, but for the last 6 months has missed out on drinks, activities and meals as she's usually asleep either bent forwards in her bedroom chair or downstairs in her wheelchair. When she does stand up her spine is very bent. Is this posture also putting excessive pressure on her lungs and heart? Would a recliner chair or staying in bed? Her mobility is bad so she's not supposed to try to move without the assistance of staff now (has a call button by her bed).

Thanks for such helpful information. My wife has begun needing to go to bed much earlier than is normal for her. Even though she gets to bed earlier, her sleep is very restful during the night. I talked to our neurologist and he put her on a dose of Nortriptiline at night along with an over the counter supplement, Valerian Root. After several days she began sleeping better through the night even when she got up to go to the bathroom at night. I'll keep my fingers crossed, hoping it will continue to help her get a nights sleep.

The sleeping scares me. I see the weakness in her eyes and my emotions I can not handle

My son took his dad out of an assisted living home due to living conditions one year ago. Since his dad has lived with us, we have seen his sleep time increase to over 20 hours a day due to Parkinson's Disease & Dementia. These comments help us better understand his medical condition. He is alert only to eat, use bathroom, take his meds, and goes back to sleep. Unable to function a normal life unless ask to do certain things like shower or help himself. He will and can do them still if you ask nicely. I see a big change in him daily. These comments answer alot for me. Now I realize how to handle the situation much better. Thanks (He is diabetic and has narcolepsy (sleep fluid builds up too fast). Pitiful situation for him and his family...but we try to understand his medical problems and be patient with him. Thanks for your interest in us.

My mum was diagnosed with Parkinson's five years ago. She also suffers from an auto immune disease which has been treated with steroids - these are now being reduced but it is difficult to tell whether she is showing side effects from these or if she has dementia. She was taken into a community hospital for a few days to give my dad a break (they're both 83) and seems to have dipped significantly since she returned home. She is confused a lot of the time, prone to sudden attacks of crying and anxiety, and is suffering the most terrible nightmares. Her vision, hearing and concentration mean that she can not perform ordinary tasks such as reading. We are waiting to get some more information regarding her diagnosis and care but it seems to be taking a lifetime. She tells us she wants to go to sleep and not wake up. Any advice would be most welcome.

My mom had dementia that started around 85 and was not really noticeable as such by me because symptoms were very mild like forgetfulness,inability to concentrate and focus.However,at 87 she became ill and hospitalized and had delirium.After that,her dementia worsened ten-fold and she could no longer walk.She had to go into a nursing home and sadly died last week at 89 in there after a 2 year stay.Sadly her last two years of life were terrible;bed-ridden,incontinent,dementia,slept all day,no appetite,etc.She was my absolute best friend and I shall miss her more than words can ever convey !

help my partner is suffering from vascular dementia diagnosed 2years ago one of my big worries is apart from 2 or 3 6mth appointments with a specialist maybe lasting 15 20 mins hes getting little or no support or help i am trying to help him keep his independence sleep is a big issue or should i say little of it he tends to catnap during the day a lot and seems to get sleep ok but is frequently awake in the early hours hes never been one to moan at doctors but frankly the support hes been given is to mind a disgrace its been suggested that at 62 hes very young to have dementia his gp has never once spoke to him about help and support its like no one cares his friends etc who see him frequently remark how hes getting worse yet we seem to find nothing but deadends who ever we turn to for help

Thank you so much for this article, my dad 88 is sleeping more and only wake up once to have his dinner. I worry all the time thinking I am not doing my best.

I have been taking care of my 80 years old mother who has dementia, for six years now. I run a tight ship trying to keep the same routine every day including keeping the same caregivers and making sure that they follow her routine. She is calm and easy to manage if she gets a good night's sleep. If she doesn't sleep through the night she becomes delusional and impossible to manage. She has been on Ativan for almost a year now. Without the aid of Ativan, my mother would get up anywhere from once every hour to once every twenty minutes all night long to use the bathroom, obsessing about needing to pee, and you couldn't convince her to go in her disposable pullups. Unfortunately, Ativan 3MG and Melatonin 10MG no longer seem to keep her asleep at night. I am back to being up all night with her and then trying to go to work during the day and having a life with my husband. We have tried a number of medications such as Respidone, Buspar...We wake her up at 10:00 am and by 4:00 (if not sooner) she is begging to go back to bed but we keep her up until 7:00pm. She will sleep soundly until 10:30pm and then starts getting up every twenty minutes to an hour to pee. I don't want to increase her Ativan but her doctor and I are out of ideas. Help. Any suggestions?

thank you for the comments, really helped, Iam wondering about eating habits also. My husband claims he does not like somthing he has eaten for years or claims is just not hungery

I was so relieved to read of excessive sleeping. My husband has mixed type Dementia and Alzheimer’s and is 85. He sleeps all night apart from toilet breaks and sleeps at the drop of a hat all day. He is constantly tired. The loneliness is difficult for me as I have given up practically all outside interests so that I am with him. It seems that there are a lot of others out there with the same problems. Thank you for sharing.

My husband is 84 with vascular dementia and Parkinson's He has had dementia for quite a few years. Lately he sleeps a LOT during the day and still sleeps through the night until about five in the morning. Doesn't always recognise what is on the tv. I am a young 71.

I have a 91 year-old mother who sleeps a lot, as described by others here. However I have read just about all the posts and cannot seem to find anyone else with her second symptom ie about once every three to four weeks she can’t sleep AT ALL! She is then wide awake for three to four DAYS, day and night. As the time passes she gets more and more confused. Dementia symptoms multiply ten-fold! She talks almost non-stop and when she does stop and we check her she is lying with eyes wide-open. She is bed-bound so fortunately she can’t wander around. Eventually she falls asleep and then sleeps for two to three days - scarcely “surfacing” when we feed or change her (and usually not even opening her eyes) and then going straight back to sleep. Her normal evening sleeping pill has NO effect on her during these wakeful periods.
Has anyone else experienced this? It has been going on for Eight or nine months now.!
Thanks!
Jenny

My mother 76 years old sleeps all day and night. Do not respond to any external stimulus. Do not open eyes, do not move any body parts etc. Almost unconscious all the time. How long she will survive?