Sleep Disturbances
The 29 sources listed below are each rated on how they can help caregivers better understand and deal with sleep disturbances in people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
The issue of 'Sundowning' is fully addressed in another section.
Sources are ranked from highest to lowest.
The issue of 'Sundowning' is fully addressed in another section.
Sources are ranked from highest to lowest.
ALZSmart Score™ - Excellent85%
Coping With Behavior Change in Dementia: A Family Caregiver's Guide
Beth Spencer and Laurie White
Pages 104-109
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Begins by explaining sleep problems. Has 9 bullet points on possible physical, medical, and emotional causes and 9 strategies for handling them. 6 bullet points of environmental causes and 9 strategies to deal with them. 12 other possible causes and 15 strategies to handing other causes of sleep problems. Has 4 tips on allowing them to be up at night. Also has 10 tips on sundowning.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
Dementia Care Central (National Institute on Aging)
Geo Location: All (US)
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Discusses sleep issues of patients with Alzheimer’s or other dementia. Looks at cause of sleep challenges. Has 11 non-medication tips to help with sleep issues.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
WebMD
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Explains how sleep problems are more severe and happen more often in people with Alzheimer’s. Lists 4 sleep problems. Has 8 tips on changes to lifestyle and behavior to fix sleep problems. Plus 8 tips for caregivers to get the rest they need.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
A Place For Mom
Leslie Kernisan
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Explains why sleep problems are so common in dementia. Has 22 questions you should be ready to answer to help doctors diagnose the underlying causes of sleep problems. 4 strategies that could improve the sleep of a person with Alzheimer’s. Also has information on a couple of medications that may be less risky.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
Alzheimer’s Research Association
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Reviews causes of sundowning and sleeplessness. Has 4 tips for reducing evening agitation and 5 suggestions for nighttime sleeplessness. [Video 3:35] Embedded video discusses 5 signs of sundowning, 6 causes, 5 strategies, and 3 things to consider when responding.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
Dementia Australia
Geo Location: All (AU)
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Provides a list with 9 physiological or medical causes of sleeping problems and 7 things you can try. Has 4 environmental causes and 9 things you can try. Plus 8 other possible causes and 12 bullet points on what to try.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
The 36-Hour Day (6th Edition)
Nancy L. Mace, MA and Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH
Pages 150-153
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Discusses numerous practical methods to respond to nighttime sleeping issues. Has information on the use of sedatives.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
Surviving Alzheimer's (2nd Edition)
Paula Spencer Scott
Pages 266-273
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Begins with an examples of sleep disturbances. Discusses why it happens including 7 possible causes. 18 bullet points on things to try; plus 3 ways to cope with sleep issues. Follows up with a short chapter on too much sleep.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
Confidence to Care (aka Home Instead)
Molly Carpenter
Pages 38-43
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Begins with an example of a sleep problem. Explains why this might happen. Has 14 bullet points for care approaches. Offers examples of how to communicate with a person who is having sleep difficulties. Concludes with 4 tips on prevention.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good75%
Tuck
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Begins by explaining the relationship between dementia and sleep disorders. In-depth look at 6 sleep disorders. Lists 12 questions that are essential for diagnosing sleep conditions in elderly people with dementia. Has 5 ways to improve dementia-related sleep issues. Also has links to additional resources.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good70%
Aging Care
Anne-Marie Botek
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
This article has 6 common caregiver questions about sleep issues that are answered be medical experts.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good70%
A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia
Laura N. Gitlin, PhD and Catherine Verrier Piersol, PhD, OTR/L
Pages 91-92
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Begins by defining sleep disturbances and why they might occur. Has 8 common triggers. 10 strategies for sleep disturbances. Also has 5 changes in the home environment.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good70%
Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias: The Caregiver's Complete Survival Guide
Nataly Rubinstein, MSW, LCSW, C-ASWCM
Pages 240-244
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Review of the functions that sleep serves. Has 19 steps you can take to help reduce sleep disorders.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good70%
Alzheimer's Basic Caregiving: An ABC Guide
Kathy Laurenhue, MA
Pages 93-103
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Explains 8 ordinary issues related to sleep. Describes ways to prevent sleep disturbances. 4 common causes of sleep issues. 6 ways to enhance comfort and safety. Ends with some thoughts on problem solving.
ALZSmart Score™ - Very Good70%
Best Alzheimer's Products
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Discusses the connection between the neurological effects of dementia and various sleep disorders. Has 8 bullet points on the nature of sleep disorders. 5 factors or cause of sleep disorders. 14 tips to improve sleep.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%
Alzheimer's Association
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Discusses the causes to sundowning and sleep disturbances. Has 6 factors that may contribute to sleep issues. Offers 8 coping strategies. Plus 6 things you can do if the person is awake and upset.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%
UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Program
Linda Ercoli, PhD
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
[Video 5:04] Scenario-based video that shows a caregiver and his mother dealing with sleep issues. The video has four parts: common response, expert explanation, recommended reponse, plus 9 tips for dealing with sleep disturbances.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%
Mayo Clinic
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Discusses common Alzheimer's sleep problems. Has 6 factors that might contribute to Alzheimer's sleep disturbances. 7 bullet points on ways to promote better sleep.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%
Alzheimer Society Canada
Geo Location: All (CA)
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Discusses types of sleep disturbances. Has 8 paragraphs on non-medication treatments for sleep issues. Also has other resources listed at the end.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%
Understand Alzheimer's
Pages 74-77
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Lists 3 sleeping problems that may be found in people with Alzheimer's. Has 6 strategies to aid sleep and reduce sundowning.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%
The Dementia Caregiver
Marc E. Agronin, MD
Pages 146-149
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Explains medical conditions and medications that may contribute to sleep issues. Has 10 bullet points on proper sleep hygiene. Discusses different medications from psychiatrists perspective.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good65%
When Reasoning No Longer Works (2nd Edition)
Angel Smits
Pages 155-159
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Has 11 bullet points to check physical needs. Offers 6 tips to use to check mental needs. List of 3 environmental issues to check.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good60%
Ahead of Dementia
Luciana Mitzkun
Pages 133-138
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Discusses the stages of wakefulness. Explains sleep cycles and memory consolidation. Has 7 tips to implement healthy sleep habits.
ALZSmart Score™ - Good60%
Alzheimer's Association
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Lists a couple of common sleep changes that may occur in people with Alzheimer's. Looks at 3 other contributing medical factors. Has 10 bullet points for non-drug treatments for sleep changes. Also discusses medications for sleep issues and their risks.
ALZSmart Score™ - Average45%
National Institute on Aging (ADEAR)
Geo Location: All (US)
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Has 6 tips that may help caregivers manage sleep problems in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
ALZSmart Score™ - Average45%
Alzheimer's Foundation of America
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Offers 7 suggestions to help ensure a good night's sleep.
ALZSmart Score™ - Average45%
HelpGuide
Melinda Smith M.A., Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Monika White, Ph.D.
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
This multiple topic article begins with a section on common causes. That's followed by a section on creating a calming environment About 3/4 of the way down the web page there's a section specifically on sleep problems. Explains how brain disease often disrupts the sleep-wake cycle. Has 7 tips to reduce nighttime restlessness.
ALZSmart Score™ - Satisfactory35%
Learning to Speak Alzheimer's
Joanne Koenig Coste
Pages 104-107
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Focuses on how sleep issues by the person with Alzheimer's may lead to sleep deprivation of the caregiver and how that can become a major problem. Uses couple of examples to show the need to find solution.
ALZSmart Score™ - Satisfactory25%
National Sleep Foundation
Geo Location: All
ALZSmart Review™ - Summary of Contents
Overview of Alzheimer's disease and how it affects sleep. Has 9 tips on coping with sleep issues.
