People with dementia often struggle to handle changes in temperature, making them more sensitive to both heat and cold than others. This issue comes from changes in the brain and body systems that normally keep temperature steady.
The brain’s hypothalamus acts like a thermostat, controlling body heat. In dementia, especially Alzheimer’s, this area can be damaged early on, leading to poor temperature regulation. People may feel too hot or too cold without a real change in the room, or they might not notice when it’s unsafe.
For example, in cold weather, those with dementia face a higher risk of hypothermia, where body temperature drops below normal. Temperatures under 86 degrees Fahrenheit can cause confusion, shaky walking, or even passing out, which looks a lot like dementia symptoms and makes it hard to spot. In hot weather, they might overheat easily because they do not sweat properly or drink enough water.
Problems with the autonomic nervous system, which handles automatic body functions like temperature and blood pressure, also play a role. Dysautonomia, seen in some dementia cases linked to Parkinson’s, causes unstable body temperature. This means blood pressure drops when standing, leading to dizziness or fainting, worsened by heat or cold.
Temperature issues can spark agitation, a common problem in dementia. Feeling too hot, cold, hungry, or uncomfortable from the weather often leads to restlessness, yelling, or lashing out. Caregivers note that fixing these physical triggers, like adjusting room temperature or dressing in layers, calms things down.
Circadian rhythms, the body’s inner clock for sleep and activity, tie into this too. Weaker rhythms, which shift with age, make it harder to adjust to day-night temperature changes or stay active in cooler mornings. Fragmented sleep from poor rhythms raises dementia risk and adds to feeling off-balance with heat or cold.
Indoor settings matter a lot. Poor air quality, wrong humidity, or extreme temperatures in homes link to more agitation in people with cognitive issues. Keeping rooms at 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit helps, along with good ventilation.
Care tips focus on prevention. Dress in light layers that can be added or removed. Check skin for hot or cold spots often. Use fans or air conditioning in summer, and heaters or blankets in winter, but watch for safety. Encourage fluids and watch for signs like shivering, sweating, or confusion. Light therapy to fix rhythms might help in the future, but simple habits work now.
Sources
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260104/Weaker-and-fragmented-circadian-rhythms-linked-to-higher-dementia-risk.aspx
https://www.webmd.com/brain/dysautonomia-overview
https://www.consultant360.com/articles/temperatures-plunge-risk-hypothermia-rises
https://www.aol.com/articles/scientists-just-uncovered-surprising-dementia-164700142.html
https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/alzheimers-disease/latest-thinking-on-treating-agitation-in-alzheimers
https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.71011
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12724753/
