A clinical psychologist offers strategies for caregivers to maintain their mental and physical health while managing the unique challenges of Sundown Syndrome in Alzheimer’s patients.
Summary: Many Alzheimer’s patients experience sundown syndrome, causing evening agitation that complicates caregiving. Michele Nealon, Psy.D., emphasizes the syndrome’s toll on both patients and caregivers, advocating for caregiver self-care to manage stress. Key strategies include maintaining a healthy lifestyle, regulating sleep, and incorporating relaxation techniques. Proper self-care helps caregivers remain effective and prevent burnout while managing patients with sundown syndrome. Nealon suggests integrating mental health support with traditional care methods to improve outcomes for caregivers and patients alike.
Key Takeaways:
- Nearly 20% of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease experience sundown syndrome, which is characterized by confusion or agitation that worsens in the late afternoon and into the night. This condition complicates care and significantly affects the quality of sleep for both patients and their caregivers.
- The condition not only stresses the patients but also places a heavy burden on their caregivers. Caregivers of patients with sundown syndrome must manage increased nighttime disturbances and the emotional and physical toll of extended care, which can lead to high levels of chronic stress and even serious health problems like diabetes and stroke if not managed properly.
- Michele Nealon, PsyD, suggests that caregivers prioritize their own physical and mental health through regular exercise, a healthy diet, quality sleep, and relaxation techniques. Effective communication and setting personal time aside for rejuvenation are also critical in managing the stress and demands of caregiving for patients with sundown syndrome.
Nearly 20% of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease will experience sundown syndrome—a state of confusion or agitation that comes on in the late afternoon and worsens into the night, preventing the person from getting sleep—according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Even older individuals without dementia may demonstrate symptoms.
This syndrome’s cause is not well understood, but we know it can take a toll on the individual and their caregivers.
“The mind-body connection is deeply embedded in dementia and syndromes such as sundowning. Depression, anxiety, hormonal imbalance, sleep apnea, and hunger are all contributing factors that worsen the effects of sundowning,” says Michele Nealon, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and president of The Chicago School, in a release.
The individual’s condition can also strain their caregiver. Nealon says this is why caregivers must commit to self-care routines that prioritize their whole-body health. She offers these tips for caregivers:
Support Your Physical Health
Loss of sleep makes it incredibly difficult for you to remain alert to their daily needs and can lead to chronic stress, and worse, diabetes, and stroke. Setting a schedule of regular exercise, a healthy diet, and quality sleep for you and the person you are taking care of is imperative.
Support Your Mental Health
Whether it be a nice afternoon on the porch in the sun or a calming and mindless activity to reduce stimuli, be sure to take the moment in as well. Communicating about the issue that is not being met for them can resolve their frustration and can allow you time to journal, call a friend, or meet with a therapist.
Prevent Burnout
The role of a caregiver is an emotional one, and it can be difficult to contain the feelings of frustration or anxiety that can arise. Patience and empathy are key when trying to ease their agitation because it can worsen if they sense your frustration.
Nealon says in a release, “Taking an integrative approach—by adding a mental health professional to any care team—will allow people experiencing sundowning and their caregivers to improve long-term health outcomes.”
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