Too Much Sleep?

rlpete

My wife sleeps a lot at night. 11 to 12 hours is normal. Sometimes it is more. She rouses up now and then but otherwise she is sleeping. She does not take naps during the day which I'm happy about. She was diagnosed with mixed dementia so there aren't any stages that I can point to. We just have to see what happens next.  

Does anyone know about anything bad from sleeping that much? I couldn't find anything. On a day when she doesn't get that much sleep she frequently has a bad day so I don't want to wake her just because she has slept a long time. In some ways I like when she is sleeping as I get a little respite from worrying about her. Her neurologist doesn't seem too concerned. 

I see a lot of posts about loved ones not sleeping and getting up in the night. What about the reverse? Thanks.  

Iris L.

I wish I could sleep all night long.  Sleep helps the brain clear waste products.  Does she function better after a good night's sleep?  Let her sleep!

Iris

michiganpat

My husband with dementia also sleeps 11 - 12 hours a night and then, most days, soaks in the tub for 2 hours in the afternoon. I hear him snoring while he soaks. His doctor wanted to have him tested for sleep apnea but he refused. I don’t have an answer as to why but do know I appreciate the quiet time (a respite from his constant dementia behaviors) and the excess sleep doesn’t seem to hurt him.

Jeff86

My DW, late stage 6, sleeps 13 - 14 hours most nights.   I think it’s normal disease progression, or normal for her, and it’s one thing I don’t worry about.

MaryG123

My DH sleeps all night, and for several hours during the day.  Thanks to advice from this forum, I let him sleep whenever he can, and we’re both better off for it. I don’t think all the recent articles about “sleep hygiene “ and schedules really apply to those with dementia.

Ed1937

The extra sleep is not a problem. It's common.

Kevcoy

What I would give to have my DH sleep all night and even more.  Our usual night consists of him getting up around 2:00am and wandering / shuffling around the bedroom for about 5 minutes before leaving the bedroom.  He would be gone for about 20 minutes before returning to bed only to repeat everything about 20 to 30 minutes later.  I finally give up and get out of bed about 5:00am.  He refuses to take the medication his doctor prescribed for sleep.

rlpete

Thanks for the responses. I'm just letting her sleep away. It is better than the alternative. I just need to work on managing my time better.

michiganpat

Kevcoy, I am sorry for what you are going thru. It must be exhausting. I read of others in the same situation and am thankful for the respite I get when my husband sleeps. I do worry it could change. My mother in law died of alzheimers and I helped care for her. My sister had a TBI as a teenager and I have looked out for her since 2003. She has been in a nursing home for 3 years now. My brother is currently in the middle stages of dementia and his wife cares for him. She and I talk a lot. NOTHING prepares you for when it is your spouse.

Ed1937

Kevcoy, I think you know that is not sustainable. Ask the doctor if you can crush the meds to mix with something he likes to eat. Or maybe there is a liquid variety that you could get him to take? You can only be sleep deprived for so long before you will pay a heavy price.

ImMaggieMae

When my husband switched from Seroquel to Risperidone he began sleeping about 9 hours or more at night, with one wake-up for me to change his Depends for urinary incontinence around 4 or 5 and then back to sleep. A little over 4 months ago his doctor increased his Memantine from 10mg per day to 15mg. That coincided with him being drowsy in the morning after breakfast and dozing off several times for 10 minutes or so. When they increased the dose to 20mg per day he seemed even more drowsy so we’re back to 15mg per day. There were large  improvements with the increased Memantine so it seems worth the trade off.

Dio

Oh, blessed is the ability to sleep!

Kevcoy: Please find a solution to help your DH sleep before you suffer from sleep deprivation. You already know the importance of staying healthy. Wishing you the best.