Good for the elderly
Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications for conditions like anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, nausea and allergies can all cause excessive sleepiness.
Interestingly, older adults need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults — seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately, many older adults often get less sleep than they need.
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.
The panel found that while sleep patterns change with aging, adults 65 -years-old and older still need between 7-8 hours of sleep nightly, and ideally over a continuous period of time.
Sleeping more Several months before the end of life, a dying person may begin to sleep more than usual. As you get closer to death , your body’s metabolism falls. Without a steady natural supply of energy, fatigue and tiredness easily win out.
At the same time, there are many overlooked and lesser-known causes of fatigue in older adults . Physical health issues like anemia, dehydration, hypercalcemia, thyroid, as well as mental and emotional stresses, might be playing a role in your loved one’s fatigue .
Most healthy older adults age 65 or older need 7-8 hours of sleep each night to feel rested and alert. But as you age, your sleep patterns may change.
What Causes Excessive Sleep in the Elderly ? Sleep deprivation is the most common cause of daytime sleepiness. This can be caused by something as simple as a too-warm room, too much coffee during the day or achy joints at night. Sometimes daytime fatigue stems from boredom.
Common causes of insomnia and sleep problems in older adults . Poor sleep habits and sleep environment. These include irregular sleep hours, consumption of alcohol before bedtime , and falling asleep with the TV on. Make sure your room is comfortable, dark and quiet, and your bedtime rituals conducive to sleep .
During the middle stages of Alzheimer’s , it becomes necessary to provide 24 – hour supervision to keep the person with dementia safe. As the disease progresses into the late-stages, around-the-clock care requirements become more intensive.
Resiberg’s system: Stage 1: No Impairment. During this stage, Alzheimer’s is not detectable and no memory problems or other symptoms of dementia are evident. Stage 2: Very Mild Decline . Stage 3: Mild Decline . Stage 4: Moderate Decline . Stage 5 : Moderately Severe Decline . Stage 6: Severe Decline . Stages 7: Very Severe Decline .
Symptoms of vascular dementia are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, although memory loss may not be as obvious in the early stages. Symptoms can sometimes develop suddenly and quickly get worse , but they can also develop gradually over many months or years.
Sleep in a dark, quiet, cool room (between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit). Before bed, take a warm bath or practice relaxation techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises. If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get up, go to another room, and do a relaxing activity like listening to calming music.
Zolpidem ( Ambien and generic) Eszopiclone ( Lunesta ) Zaleplon ( Sonata and generic)
Less time is spent in deep, dreamless sleep . Older people wake up an average of 3 or 4 times each night. They are also more aware of being awake. Older people wake up more often because they spend less time deep sleep .