Tips for Sleeping Better While Living With Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease

The Link Between the Brain and Sleep

Habits That Help Keep Your Body Clock Steady

Build a Relaxing Bedtime Routine

When to Turn to Your Healthcare Team

At times, you may need more support than the suggestions above to improve sleep.

Brewster advises letting your provider know about the symptoms below, especially if they continue, appear suddenly, or start affecting daytime function, safety, or overall health:

• New or worsening trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Feeling overly sleepy during the day
• Waking up often at night
• Loud snoring
• Pauses in breathing or gasping while asleep
• Moving around or acting out dreams during sleep
• Clear changes in daytime mood, alertness, or irritability

“If you’re routinely having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or if you’re regularly napping for an hour or more during the day, you should discuss your sleep with your primary care provider,” says Miner.

“Sleep problems can have many causes, so changes from a person’s usual sleep pattern or behavior should not automatically be assumed to be a normal part of Alzheimer’s disease,” says Brewster.

In addition to Alzheimer’s-related causes, sleep can also be disrupted by medication, depression, or an undiagnosed sleep disorder. Restless legs syndrome, for instance, is a common condition that creates a crawling or pulling feeling in the legs. Many people with Alzheimer’s also experience sleep apnea, a disorder that interrupts breathing at night and breaks up sleep.

Your provider can help identify and treat other conditions or sources of pain that may interfere with rest by increasing anxiety or restlessness.

“Don’t forget about the caregiver’s sleep, because when one person is up at night, someone else usually is too,” says Soffler. “Caregiver exhaustion is real, and it’s okay to ask for help.”