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Sleepy with Alzheimers, is that normal?
My father (who has Alzheimers) is constantly wanting to sleep and doesn't feel like doing anything. He would be content to sleep the entire night and day away and I know exercise and keeping his mind active is the best thing for him. How do we encourage him to stay active when all he wants to do is sleep? Is this because of medication he might be taking as a side affect to the Alzheimers meds?
54 yr old, Female
asked Nov 24, 2009 at 06:45AM in Neurology/Brain Disorders
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1Votes
answered Nov 24, 2009 at 09:26AMThis could be medication related or simply boredom. I have a client right now who is on Abilify and gets very tired especially after meals. My mother, who attended a day center with lots of engaging activities did not seem to have this problem. The client is often very bored and chooses not to participate in any therapeutic exercise regimen or stimulating activities but does complain about excessive sleepiness.-
Thank you for your comments. We are trying to start him in a 1-day a week program at a center to see if he will continue and do more. We are starting out as a volunteer because he can't see himself as someone who attends. We hope he enjoys it so much it will lead to more.54 yr old, Female commented Jan 15, 2010 at 06:01AM
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2Votes
answered Nov 24, 2009 at 11:54AMOften, due to the affects of the disease on the brain, patients with Alzheimer's disease have disturbed wake/sleep cycles with increased napping during the day, followed by sundowning (where patients become more agitated or confused in the late afternoon/evening), and then not sleeping well or waking up a lot in the evening. Some of this may be mediated by keeping patients with Alzheimer's disease awake during the day as much as possible, only 1 1hr nap at most, and attempting to find a stimulating environment, whether this be an adult day health program or activities that stimulate a patient with this disease physically and/or mentally. -
0Votesanswered Nov 25, 2009 at 10:44AMThere are so many reasons for sleepiness but I agree that the first thing to look into would be medication use or any changes in medication. With any new medication, it is important to look at side effects as the side effects could be worse than the original issue.
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The content on or accessible through Medpedia.com is for informational purposes only. Medpedia is not a substitute for professional advice or expert medical services from a qualified health professional.
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