"It is quite common for a person with dementia, especially in the later stages, to spend a lot of their time sleeping – both during the day and night. This can sometimes be distressing for the person’s family and friends, as they may worry that something is wrong. Sleeping more and more is a common feature of later-stage dementia. As the disease progresses, the damage to a person’s brain becomes more extensive and they gradually become weaker and frailer over time. As a result, a person with dementia may find it quite exhausting to do relatively simple tasks like communicating, eating or trying to understand what is going on around them. This can make the person sleep more during the day as their symptoms become more severe."
Elders in general sleep more and eat less. If we are to think at all that our bodies know what they are doing with what reserves of energy and health they have, then we accept that the needs of the body become more sleep and less food. Our organs ALL age. Our bone marrow cannot replenish itself; our brain cells change. Our hearts become a tiring pump. When you think about it, the machine just begins to wind down.
So it isn't always dementia that's the cause, and in fact with some dementias there is less sleep, terrible sleep disorders, fragmented and violent outbursts of energy.
This is just the clock running down. As my dad in his 90s said "Kid, I just long for that last long, long nap".
His sleeping that much is probably a sign of end of life coming within the next 6 months or so. I hope at this point you have brought hospice on board as they can better answer any questions you may have. My late husband slept anywhere from 16-20 hours the last 6 months of his life, and was under hospice care the last 22 months of his life. Most people wait too late to bring hospice on board, so I would recommend calling them today(yes you can call them yourself)and have them come out to do an evaluation.
You can bring hospice earlier, but don't do it unless the person wants to forego curative treatments (as s/he might have specified in an advanced directive). If s/he did not do so, s/he probably wants to live as long as possible. There's nothing wrong with that, even for someone with a form of dementia.
The last 6 to 9 months my husband was alive he was sleeping 20 to 23 hours a day. The body is expending energy keeping the heart pumping, the lungs breathing, the kidneys functioning and on and on. So sleep is an easy way to conserve energy. It takes muscles to keep the eyes open so it is possible that your husband is actually awake but the eyes are closed. Do you have Hospice helping you? You might want to contact a Hospice in your area and ask if he would qualify. You would get a Nurse that would come each week to check on him and order medications. A CNA would come at least 2 times a week to give him a bath or shower and order supplies. All supplies and equipment would be delivered to you. I would not have been able to care for my Husband the way I was able to if it had not been for the Hospice Team I had.
My aunt sleeps mostly during the day and at night time, she's up and napping here and there. She's been this way since I last saw her almost a year ago. We all thought this was likely her coming to an end, but she's still here. It's hard because when trying to call her, she doesn't answer because she's asleep all of the time and doesn't answer. This disease is horrible to witness and you just feel helpless with no answers watching your loved one slowly deteriorating.
Yes, I sympathize with you. My mom is 95 and has really deteriorated lately. It's very depressing to see her like this. It sure doesn't make me look forward to my old age!
My mother is like that also, except that she has mobility problems as well as dementia. She won't engage in any of the activities offered at the AL home where she lives. I think it's partly due to her hearing loss and her dementia. She's 95 and has deteriorated a lot physically. She is always happy when I visit but just seems to want to stay in her room except for meals. I know she's bored but I've given up trying to get her interested in anything. At her age she's entitled to spend her day as she wishes.
My husband has Parkinson’s, no dementia. He was sleeping a lot, 12+ hours per day. Now he is restless, screaming and talking loudly in his sleep for hour or more and even sleeping in different bedroom wakes me up. Now he gets up at 5-6am. He went from 12 hours to maybe 6-7 of sleep. And he remains restless during a day and is in more pain.
I am sorry to hear it. Some people with PD do develop sleep disturbances. I guess the sleep rhythms get disrupted. My DH's Aunt had PD & as it progressed she suffered more nightmares. This was very distressing for her.
I think there brain is just tired and sleep is there happier place.
One of my kids, when he got hurt he would fall asleep, drove me nuts because I never new how hurt he was until he woke up. Sleep was his safe place I think
"It is quite common for a person with dementia, especially in the later stages, to spend a lot of their time sleeping – both during the day and night. This can sometimes be distressing for the person’s family and friends, as they may worry that something is wrong.
Sleeping more and more is a common feature of later-stage dementia. As the disease progresses, the damage to a person’s brain becomes more extensive and they gradually become weaker and frailer over time.
As a result, a person with dementia may find it quite exhausting to do relatively simple tasks like communicating, eating or trying to understand what is going on around them. This can make the person sleep more during the day as their symptoms become more severe."
And it's ok if they sleep, if there bodies feel the need for sleep, I'd let him sleep.
Best of luck in this horrible hard time
If we are to think at all that our bodies know what they are doing with what reserves of energy and health they have, then we accept that the needs of the body become more sleep and less food.
Our organs ALL age. Our bone marrow cannot replenish itself; our brain cells change. Our hearts become a tiring pump.
When you think about it, the machine just begins to wind down.
So it isn't always dementia that's the cause, and in fact with some dementias there is less sleep, terrible sleep disorders, fragmented and violent outbursts of energy.
This is just the clock running down. As my dad in his 90s said "Kid, I just long for that last long, long nap".
My late husband slept anywhere from 16-20 hours the last 6 months of his life, and was under hospice care the last 22 months of his life.
Most people wait too late to bring hospice on board, so I would recommend calling them today(yes you can call them yourself)and have them come out to do an evaluation.
The body is expending energy keeping the heart pumping, the lungs breathing, the kidneys functioning and on and on. So sleep is an easy way to conserve energy.
It takes muscles to keep the eyes open so it is possible that your husband is actually awake but the eyes are closed.
Do you have Hospice helping you?
You might want to contact a Hospice in your area and ask if he would qualify.
You would get a Nurse that would come each week to check on him and order medications.
A CNA would come at least 2 times a week to give him a bath or shower and order supplies.
All supplies and equipment would be delivered to you.
I would not have been able to care for my Husband the way I was able to if it had not been for the Hospice Team I had.
She's been this way since I last saw her almost a year ago.
We all thought this was likely her coming to an end, but she's still here.
It's hard because when trying to call her, she doesn't answer because she's asleep all of the time and doesn't answer.
This disease is horrible to witness and you just feel helpless with no answers watching your loved one slowly deteriorating.
She comes out of her room for meals. Refuses any activities. NO amount of coaxing will result in engagement.
Her body is just fine. Her brain is broken. She feels safest in bed. With her, that’s all there is to it. I think she spends 22 hours/day in bed. 😔
He was sleeping a lot, 12+ hours per day.
Now he is restless, screaming and talking loudly in his sleep for hour or more and even sleeping in different bedroom wakes me up. Now he gets up at 5-6am. He went from 12 hours to maybe 6-7 of sleep. And he remains restless during a day and is in more pain.
I hope there is medication to help.
One of my kids, when he got hurt he would fall asleep, drove me nuts because I never new how hurt he was until he woke up. Sleep was his safe place I think
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