Getting a good night’s rest consistently is important to having good health in many ways, but many people do not realize that poor sleep habits can also cause cognitive harm to a person, and studies show there might be a link between certain sleep disorders and dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. A dementia care provider can help them manage their poor sleep situation with the tips suggested here.
Why Sleep is Important for Brain Health
Quality sleep allows the fluids between neurons to flush out large molecules and prevent toxic buildup better than when a person doesn’t get quality sleep regularly. Without being able to flush out those toxins as needed, beta-amyloid, a protein that is found in excess in people with Alzheimer’s, can accumulate and cause more damage to the brain.
Sleep also plays an important role in consolidating memories. This process strengthens the ability to create new memories and retain them.
Sleep Disorders That Can Increase the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Having any of these sleep disorders doesn’t mean your loved one will develop Alzheimer’s disease, but all of them have been linked to increasing the risk of the disease and the need for a person to receive dementia care later in life.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea. With this condition, a person’s muscles in their throat relax at night, and they have trouble getting enough air as they sleep. They may wake up periodically during the night, gasping for breath, interrupting important REM sleep.
Insomnia, especially if it’s been a lifelong condition. When a person consistently hasn’t been able to sleep well for years or decades, parts of the brain change, especially those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Circadian rhythm disorders. When the circadian rhythm isn’t regulated, a person will have a shift in their sleep-wake cycle, making them feel wide awake at night and sleepy during the day.
Routine short sleep nights. While someone may say they do perfectly fine on six hours of sleep at night, routinely having less than seven hours of sleep at night can increase the risk of dementia. Sleep loss increases a person’s levels of beta-amyloid and tau. Those are proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s Disease and Sleep Disorders
If your loved one already has Alzheimer’s disease, a sleep disorder can cause the disease to progress more quickly. Helping your loved one regain better sleep habits is important to help him manage the disease and reduce some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as night wandering and confusion.
Getting a better night’s sleep for your loved one often begins during the day, long before his head hits the pillow. You can work with his dementia care provider to help them sleep better at night by doing the following things during the day.
Get some sun. Open curtains during the day and, when possible, have your dementia care provider bring your loved one outside for a walk or even just to sit on the porch that’s lit by the sun. Exposure to the sun during the day can help your loved one’s body differentiate between day and night so he’ll fall asleep more easily.
Reduce caffeine intake at night. Switch to decaf or, better yet, water, in the evening hours to prevent the stimulant in caffeine from keeping him awake.
Get up at the same time every day. Going to bed on schedule and waking up at the same time helps the body stay on a healthy sleep schedule.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Dementia Care Services in Lauder Hill, FL, please contact the caring staff at Star Multi Care today. Call 954-962-0926.
Star Multi Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Florida, including Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Broward County.
- Sleep Disorders That Might Be Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease - May 29, 2025
- Honoring Our Team: Birthdays, Anniversaries, and New Additions! - May 28, 2025
- Celebrating Our Team – May Highlights - May 21, 2025
