Sundowning in the Morning?

yardman49 · March 20

A question for the community, My DW has been waking up the past week or so with a continuation of the sundowning attitude and demeanor she was experiencing the prior evening. Is this a common experience others have experienced with Alzheimer's?

Is this an indication that my DW condition is in further decline?

jfkoc · March 20

I would rule out other causes for the behavior like a silent UTI.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/expert-answers/sundowning/faq-20058511

CindyBum · March 20

Oh yes. I would check for a UTI, but my wife's sundowners went from just in the evening to her literally unable to sit down for 24-36 hours at a time. I can now see that it was the point where she began her final decline to her passing in Feb. 2026. I would be looking at what medications you can give her to help her suffering with this. I never quite got a mix of meds to calm my DW completely, but I at least found a combo that let her sleep at night.

Dio · March 20

So sorry, and so frustrating for you. Did you check with your DW's neurologist? There was a time my DH was up for 36 hrs straight…nearly killed me because he wouldn't let me lie down to rest/sleep, kept pulling me out of bed. I finally called 911 and he was sent to the local ER. At the time, we didn't have a diagnosis of dementia yet. We just thought it was a mental breakdown. No matter the label, it was horrifying. He did not have UTI and not sure if it could be labeled as sundowning, but it was a brutal period for me.

SDianeL · March 21

while sundowning is due to many factors, this could be progression. What specific behaviors have you noticed? Here’s the DBAT tool that may help: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6372d16ea4e02c7ce64425b7/t/63f7b80d80d8aa3e3aa4a47d/1677178894184/DBAT.pdf

yardman49 · March 22

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/268456#Comment_268456

Here are some recent Patterns

2 days ago we did not sleep for 24 hours even after I gave her medication in her dinner. She was constantly looking for her "work papers" and accusing imagined people in our house of looking at her papers and stealing ome. It is like she time stamps back to a working environment of 30 years ago. DW is repeatedly saying her "Boss" will be here soon. This a recurring event multiple times day and night.

1 day ago, After I has mixed her medication into her dinner as I normally do, we were able to sleep for 9 hours straight. We had a pretty good lucid day until after dinner yesterday evening. She once again resumed trying to locate her "work papers" with erratic behavior accusing me of letting people into our home and causing her harm. I tried to reassure her I did not let anyone in and that all doors and windows were locked but that did not help. DW jumps in and out of her hallucinations of people in our home asking me why they are here and delusions of women sitting in our home looking and desiring me.

Another recurring daily and nightly experience is DW keeps looking for her father also (He passed away in 2012 in the Philippines} but then tells me that he is another father her working outside around our house. After trying several failing attempts to converse with him she accuses him of having sexual relations with several women and her anger grows. DW then says her family does not care about her as they never stop by or call her. Her sister does call her and has been calling her every week for DW has no recollection. Her sister is in Nevada and unable to travel to us in Florida. Remainder of DW family is in the Philippines and are unable to travel.

A couple of times every day my DW does not recognize me and we go through the same question and answer routine of when and where we were married and how and when we moved into this house.

Another continuing pattern is that DW thinks our house is some sort of business and I am an employee.

DW wants to daily go for a walk outside and attempt to locate her father. I go with her and try to assist her.

We cannot travel anywhere in our car beyond 15 minutes as DW goes bonkers and caustic.

I am my DW second husband. Her first husband was a real extreme womanizer and she divorced him. I do not think she has eawful curing ver gotten over the negative impact of that relationship as she often accuses me of being a womanizer, but I think she is reliving experiences she had with him. DW becomes very caustic with despicable cursing during these accusing episodes. I may note that after she has calmed down my DW does not remember anything and claims she does not curse.

All these occurrences are wrapped into what call dementia episodes.

In between all these occurrences I have mentioned there are periods of lucidity, kindness, concern and recognition that she loves me and she thanks me for helping her.

Geot · March 22

Today sundowning has also become morningdowning. I am once again my DW's father, I play the roll as best as I can but very difficult when she constantly asks where her husband went and did he say where he was going….when will he be back, etc….she visibly sees me "doing everything her husband does but keeps saying "oh dad that is what my husband does".

Just venting again…helps with my sanity.