People with dementia can have several issues when it comes to getting good quality sleep. Not only can it affect your loved one from doing everyday activities, but also their ability to sleep during the night.
Depending on the type of dementia the person has, this can present various challenges for you and your loved one. Tasks that require minimal efforts such as eating and drinking may be exhausting for the person to carry out regularly and this may lead to them needing to sleep more often.
There are other external factors that can contribute to sleep problems outside of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, rapid eye movement and sleep apnea. These types of sleeping disorders can contribute to your loved one needing to sleep longer at different times, which in turn affects their sleep cycle.
At Sova Healthcare, we have a guide to help you ensure your loved one with dementia gets a good night’s sleep. Whilst looking into the services Sova can provide for you and your loved one.
The importance of sleep
For dementia patients, getting good quality sleep can make a big difference to the patient’s quality of life. Having a regular amount of sleep of between 7 to 8 hours per night is crucial to ensure that your loved one has plenty of energy to complete regular tasks.
Getting enough sleep can help reduce the risk of dementia deteriorating. The benefits of a good night’s sleep include improved memory, increased productivity and better mental and physical well being. Sova provides specialist Dementia Care with passionate and educated carers that can support your loved one’s needs.
Supporting sleep issues
There are times when someone with dementia’s sleep-wake cycle is disturbed, which can make getting to sleep for you and your loved one difficult. When it comes to supporting someone with dementia who has had sleep issues, you can play a part in helping overcome these sleep issues.
Whether they are struggling to sleep during the day with naps or at night, you can help support someone with dementia. From avoiding caffeine to maintaining a sleep routine, these two things can help reduce the risk of your loved one having further sleep problems.
Sova Healthcare can also provide Night Care Services, which are flexible and come with a personal night care plan, which will allow you and your loved one to get a well-rested sleep.
Tips for improving sleep for your loved one
If sleep disturbance is a regular issue, we have some tips to help manage their sleep patterns. Helping ensure that you and your loved one can have a good sleep every night while avoiding sleep disturbances.
Keep your loved one active
One of the best ways to manage someone with dementia’s sleep is to keep them active throughout the day. You can tailor the day to include a mixture of physical and social activities, which could include meeting a group of other people with dementia for a chat or going for a walk.
Worried you can’t be there to accompany daily activities? Sova provides Social Companionship services which can include daily walks and activities that your loved one will enjoy with a friendly and experienced carer.
Create a routine that your loved one enjoys
Another good tip that can be used to manage your loved one with dementia’s sleep is creating a routine to follow every day. Keeping the bedtime and wake-up times the same, as well as putting together morning and nighttime routines can help the person signal what time of day it is.
Staying Hydrated
An important thing you should do when caring for a loved one with dementia is to make sure that they stay hydrated throughout the day. However, it’s important that you don’t give the person you’re caring for too many fluids to drink, as it may mean that the person needs to use the toilet several times throughout the night.
You should avoid giving your loved one alcohol as it can make it harder to get quality sleep during the night. Drinking alcohol also creates an environment for your loved one to go to the toilet more often, which again can disturb the quality of sleep.
Creating a relaxed environment
Ensuring the bedroom is a relaxing environment can make a massive difference to how your loved one is able to sleep during the night. Ideally, the bedroom should be cool, but not too cold, as well as the room is uncluttered.
It’s also worth creating a pre-bed routine that your loved one can stick to before going to sleep. Whether that’s playing soft music, reading a book or dimming the lights in one of the rooms in your house, it will help to ensure they sleep better when it comes to bedtime.
When using Sova’s Night Care Services we also provide Walking Night Care Services. If your loved one wakes up distressed and confused a highly trained carer can provide comfort and reassurance by staying awake on a night shift making sure your loved one is relaxed and comfortable.
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for your loved one with dementia to function. We hope this guide will help manage and resolve sleep issues around caring for a person with dementia.
Our dementia care services can help ensure your loved one with dementia has the right environment to get a good night’s sleep. If you opt for dementia care in your home, our team of specialists can provide the highest quality of care that your loved one with dementia needs, while maintaining a good level of independence.
If you have any questions about how we can help your loved one with dementia get a good night’s sleep, speak to our team of advisors.