People with dementia often stay awake at night because their brains struggle to keep track of day and night. This problem comes from changes in the brain that mess up the body’s natural sleep clock, called the circadian rhythm.
Dementia damages parts of the brain that control when we feel sleepy or awake. As a result, people may feel tired during the day and wide awake at night. They might nap a lot in daylight hours, which makes it harder to sleep when it’s dark outside.
Another big reason is sundowning. This happens in the late afternoon or evening when confusion and restlessness grow stronger. Patients may pace around, get upset, or wander because their brains react poorly to low light or end-of-day fatigue.
Medicines for dementia or other health issues can play a role too. Some drugs cause drowsiness during the day but lead to broken sleep at night. Poor sleep quality overall, like waking up often, adds to the trouble.
Daytime habits matter as well. Too much dozing in the sunlit hours throws off the sleep cycle even more. Less activity or time outside means the body gets fewer signals from light and movement to stay on schedule.
In later stages of dementia, these issues get worse. The brain’s internal clock weakens so much that sleep becomes very irregular, with long awake periods at night.
Sources:
https://www.rymanhealthcare.co.nz/blog/do-people-with-dementia-sleep-alot
https://www.boomermagazine.com/sleep-and-dementia-connection/
https://medicine.washu.edu/news/sleep-alzheimers-link-explained/
https://www.insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/precision-medicine/circadian-rhythm-disruption-linked-to-higher-dementia-risk/
https://www.consultant360.com/articles/sleep-disruptions-and-insomnia-older-adults
https://www.ncoa.org/article/6-sensible-sleep-tips-for-older-adults/
https://www.nebraskamed.com/health/conditions-and-services/neurological-care/preventing-alzheimers-disease-and-dementia-by
https://www.aol.com/doctors-nighttime-behavior-sign-dementia-103000744.html
