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What Can Seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease Do About Sleep Issues?

Alzheimer's Home Care in Cranford NJ: Seniors battling Alzheimer’s disease experience worsening symptoms if they aren’t sleeping well.
Alzheimer's Home Care in Cranford NJ
Alzheimer's Home Care in Cranford NJ

People living with Alzheimer’s disease experience all sorts of changes as their condition progresses. Problems with sleep are a common issue, and Alzheimer’s patients have more control over their sleep quality than they might think. Alzheimer’s home care providers can help families learn more about what affects sleep quality for Alzheimer’s patients and develop solutions that might help.

Why Does Alzheimer’s Affect Sleep?

Alzheimer’s disease causes changes in the affected areas of the brain, which can mean that seniors have trouble with familiar tasks, cognitive functioning, memory, and recognizing the time of day. That last change can significantly affect sleep when seniors find their circadian rhythms are flipped, and they’re suddenly awake all night. Daytime sleepiness and relying on caffeine or sugar to get through the day can make the problem worse. Home care providers can help seniors with Alzheimer’s start to notice what is directly impacting their sleep quality.

Get to the Root Cause

With help, families can figure out what factors are contributing the most to sleep issues for Alzheimer’s patients. Alzheimer’s care providers have a lot of experience assisting seniors with establishing routines and orienting them in both time and place. Taking some of the pressure out of the situation can also help families to discover the root issue affecting sleep quality for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease.

Increase Physical Activity

Often seniors with Alzheimer’s disease aren’t as active as they used to be. That can sometimes leave them with pent-up energy that doesn’t have an easy outlet. Getting regular physical activity within the bounds recommended by medical providers might be easier than families think, too. Taking a few gentle walks throughout the day can be enough to help with sleep issues.

Adjust Food and Beverage Intakes

Diet has way more to do with sleep issues than many people realize. If seniors are drinking or eating sugar, caffeine, and other ingredients that interfere with their ability to sleep well, then it’s important to shift some things around. Eating too late in the day can also affect sleep. Alzheimer’s home care providers can help seniors keep track of how they feel when they eat or drink certain things and help them make adjustments along the way.

Get a Closer Look at What’s Happening

Sometimes there’s just more going on. If seniors with Alzheimer’s disease are still having a lot of trouble sleeping, it might be time to loop in their medical providers. There are often other causes of sleep issues related to other medical issues. Getting those issues under better control can help seniors with Alzheimer’s disease get the sleep their bodies and their brains need in order to function well.

There are plenty of ways to help seniors with Alzheimer’s disease to get better sleep, but families don’t have to try to find them on their own. Alzheimer’s home care providers have a ton of experience with these sorts of problems, so they can offer valuable insights that families can rely on when they need to make some changes. As seniors get better sleep, they may find it’s easier to stick to other routines that help them feel their best.

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering Alzheimer’s home care in Cranford, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Adult Alternative Home Care today. (888) 664-1769

Lorraine Arkaifie, MSN, AGPCNP-BC

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