Does Alzheimer's cause insomnia?

A fellow caregiver asked...

Our Mum just can't sleep. She is awake almost 24 hours a day! Sounds strange, but its true. She is quite weak, but can walk from her bedroom to the toilet and back. So she goes to the toilet about every half to one hour. Sometimes as much as every 10-15 mins. She does NOT have a urinary tract infection.

At night she wants to wake up and have tea and a snack. Then when we give her something, she says she is not hungry, or sits and has to be helped to eat. She can eat with a fork, but her eyesight is terrible and we have to help her. Its like she just want to pass the time. Then its the toilet, and bed, and tuck in, and in no time, its a repeat performance.

She does not like to be helped by non family members and keeps calling only for a certain family member constantly. She is burned out, as we all are.

Does ANYONE have similar problems or any advice for this situation please? Thanks in advance

Expert Answer

Brenda Avadian, brings knowledge, hope, and joy to family caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer's and dementia. She cared for her father with Alzheimer's and helps families one-on-one and in groups. She is the author of eight books, including the pioneering memoir "Where's my shoes?" My Father's Walk through Alzheimer's and the Finding the JOY in Alzheimer's series. She presents vivid, compelling, and funny keynotes to both professional and family caregiving audiences.

Alzheimer's may not cause insomnia as much as the disease causes disturbances in sleep patterns.

As the disease progresses, our loved ones find it more difficult to tell the difference between day and night. Unlike you or me, your mum cannot make the distinction of night time from the light of day and what the former means"”time to get some sleep. Additionally, the disease itself wreaks havoc on her brain upsetting any semblance of normalcy. Finally, she may be afraid at night. A night nurse might keep her company by simply sitting in her room initially and gently massaging her.

We can guess at what's happening, but first, make an appointment with her doctor (counselor?) to evaluate the dosage and balance among her current medications. Our bodies constantly change and with these changes the tolerance for medications.

After that, you may explore with her doctor the option of taking sleeping aids maybe once or twice a week. These may further exacerbate her Alzheimer's are only intended to give her some rest as well as rest for that family member your mum keeps asking for. Another option is melatonin (chemical our bodies produce while sleeping) to ensure she feels rested since she's not likely producing melatonin on her own if she's constantly getting up.

Sleep disturbances due to Alzheimer's are a challenge not only for our loved ones but for caregivers. Consult her doctor to rule out any medicinal and dosing issues before proceeding with the other options above.