Lights For Sundowners

Sundowning isn t a disease but a group of symptoms that can occur at a specific time of the day.

Lights for sundowners.

Your loved one might experience sundowning as the result of changes in their circadian rhythms their sleep wake cycles. Make a comfortable and safe sleep environment. An increasing number of studies suggest that special lights can be an effective way to ease symptoms like sundowning. Sundown syndrome also called sundowners or sundowning is a set of neuropsychiatric symptoms occurring in up to 66 of older adults with mid to late stage alzheimer s or other forms of dementia.

Take steps to correct the following. Confusion restlessness and or showing repetitive behaviors. Is it a good idea to try bright light therapy for dementia. Doctors call it sundowning or sundown syndrome.

What triggers sundowners or makes sundowning worse. Adjusting the light in their home might help reduce their symptoms. Sundowning can also lead to pacing or wandering. To be of therapeutic value the light should be full spectrum white light and at least 5 000 to 10 000 lux.

The person s sleeping area should be at a comfortable temperature. Sundowning isn t a disease but a group of symptoms that occur at a specific time of the day that may affect people with dementia such as alzheimer s disease. Coping strategies for sleep issues and sundowning keep the home well lit in the evening. Caring for seniors with dementia might get a little easier with light therapy for sundowners.

As the light dims people with sundowners syndrome may display more symptoms e g. People should maintain bright levels of light as daylight fades and use nightlights or low light lamps throughout the night. Sundowning can cause a variety of behaviors such as confusion anxiety aggression or ignoring directions. The symptoms can get worse as the night goes on and usually get better by morning.

A bright new breakthrough for dementia. These low level lights will help a person with sundowner s know where. Adequate lighting may reduce the agitation that occurs when surroundings are dark or unfamiliar. Several causes have been identified for sundowners syndrome.

Fluorescent lighting is not bright enough or of the right spectrum color to act as a replacement for natural light. Light is already recommended for conditions like seasonal affective disorder and new evidence suggests. Fading light seems to be the trigger.