4.4 Get plenty of rest

Changes to sleep cycles are common as we age

As we age, most of us will experience changes in sleep patterns such as sleeping less, waking earlier or taking longer to fall asleep.

Carers often find that the person they support also experience changes to sleep cycles. These disruptions to the usual 24-hour sleep wake cycle, called the circadian rhythm, is common. Changes in sleep and rest might include fragmented sleep at night, napping more often during the day or becoming very active at night. This is caused by damage to the brain’s internal ‘clock’, but is also influenced by factors in the environment, such as temperature, bright light or noise at night, or pain.

For both of you there are strategies that can help you sleep better:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same times each day.
• Have a calming wind-down routine for the 30 minutes before bed (mindfulness apps like Smiling Mind or Insight Timer, or gentle music, can help)
• If you nap during the day, make them short (20-30 minutes) and avoid napping late in the day
• Stop looking at screens (eg iPad) an hour or two before bed.
• Have a comfortable, supportive mattress and pillow(s).
• Keep your bedroom cool
• Don’t drink right before you go to bed, to reduce the need to go to the bathroom
• Make sleep a priority. Sleep is when our brains ‘do their housekeeping’ and remove toxins form the brain

Marie tried all sorts of advice to help her disrupted sleep. Eventually she moved to another room to sleep. She found she woke up if Eric was moving about the house, but overall, she got a much more restful sleep. “I found I could cope much better with better sleep”.

Sleep disorders in people with dementia

Carers need to be aware that dementia is associated with sleep disorders. Particularly people with Lewy body dementia are more likely to experience restless legs syndrome. People who have restless leg syndrome find that their legs are ‘fidgety’ and they really want to move their legs, especially at night, and this keeps them awake.

It’s also more common for people with dementia to have sleep apnoea. People who have sleep apnoea stop breathing for short periods while asleep. They often snore loudly or wake abruptly. Sleep apnoea can cause brain damage. Ask your partner if they have noticed that you snore loudly and have periods where you stop breathing.

If you or the person you care for is experiencing trouble with your sleep or have sleep apnoea, talk to your doctor. Your doctor might refer you to a sleep specialist who will do a thorough assessment and offer treatment.