Major Alzheimer's Disease Warning Signs

Shifts In Sleeping Habits

When an individual has Alzheimer's disease, it's common for their sleep schedule to change or for sleeping to become difficult. The sleep-wake mechanisms in the brain become affected as the disease progresses. Besides difficulty sleeping, the most common sleep schedule shifts are sudden daytime naps, drowsiness during the day, and wide-awake at night. Many individuals experience agitation and restlessness as the sun goes down. Some studies suggest late-stage Alzheimer's disease patients are awake for about forty percent of the night and asleep for a significant portion of the day. Extreme cases include a complete sleep cycle reversal, wherein the patient is awake during the night and sleeps for the entire day.

Sleep disturbances are often caused by underlying illnesses, Alzheimer's disease being just one of them. Other common causes of sleep issues are depression, restless leg syndrome, and sleep apnea. Because sudden sleep changes are a sign there's something different in the body, they act as a cause to get a medical examination. Non-drug treatments involve routine and diet changes to promote better, more consistent sleep hygiene. There are also several medications that can help.

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