Sundowner's Syndrome

“Sundowner's Syndrome” is a pattern of behavior that develops in Alzheimer’s patients and it is characterized by them getting their day time and their night time mixed up. When you hear of elderly Alzheimer’s patients who have left the house in the middle of the night and no one knew they were out, it is most likely as a result of sundowner’s syndrome. It can be very dangerous for the Alzheimer’s patient and families often have to take extra precautions when they realize that it is occurring.

I think mom may be developing her own version of Sundowner’s as she has been wanting me to leave the music or the TV on late into the night. Of course she is sleeping for most of that time, but if I turn it off or change the station then she wakes up and questions me about why I just did something that foolish.

She is pretty much bed ridden, at this point, so there is no worry that she might go outside and get lost in the cold spring nights. However, her night owl pattern of behavior is leaving her sleeping much of the day. OR is it the other way around? Is her sleeping all day making her more wakeful at night? It really doesn’t matter which is the chicken and which the egg as it works out to the same thing… Sundowner’s!!

It’s lucky for her that I like to stay up late and work on my blogs. By the time I’m ready to call it a night, she is ready to do so, too! Maybe I am in the early stages of Sundowner’s, too?!!