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try and take her walking in the afternoon....warm milk and a advil pm or over the counter sleep aid...also valerian root helps relax the nerves....but the walking is good or something that takes energy even if it is reading...she needs to be made tired.
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Thanks everyone for your wonderful suggestions. Trying To Make It - my mom is 85, Ferris 1 - She does not drink any caffeine at all - only one cup of decaf coffee with her lunch, the rest of the day Ensure and water and we limit liquids in the evening with her last water being with her meds around dinner time. She has some mobility issues, we live in the mountains so no outside walking, and my house is tiny so her only real physical movement during the day is going down the hall to the bathroom. She only naps for about an hour after lunch and some days she doesn't even take a nap at all.
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I started sleeping with my mom. She loves it. I cuddle up with her and say prayers every night and then I sing until she falls asleep. She sleeps through each night. If I do not sleep with her then she does get up and do whatever she does however when I am there she awakes, feel assurance that she is safe, and falls back asleep. We all are sleeping well, and straight through, each night. Oh, and I have our two small dogs sleeping with us too. My mom loves that.

We are in year six. So far, so good. I am her only caregiver. I left my employment to stay home with her. My mom and I have always been very close.
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I got it going on now my husband sometimes doesn't sleep through the night what happened is I go to Walmart i buy their little off brand of sleeping pills and he sleeps during the night he has medication but those nights when I'm so tired because I work a full time joband there are times when I just need to get rest I give him two of those sleeping pills it takes about an hour to work and he wishes but there's one other thing you must understand too sometimes you can give them everything and nothing works is there much as in they're not going to sleep then I go in the street for the last 2 nite I haven't went to sleep until 3:30 a.m. And being tired so you have to try to keep him up doing today because my mom was working with him but she will allow him to sleep half the day so you have to find ways to keep her up during the day so she can sleep at night the Dementia from 8 p.m. To 6 a.m. Hope this helps
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Okay, this takes some pre-planning during the day. Have her active most of the day, and do not give any caffeinated drinks after 4 p.m. Then about 8 p.m. give her a melatonin 3 mg. supplement and see what happens. Melatonin levels decrease as one ages, so you have to supplement it. It is not a "drug" but will put her in a sleepy state where she will not be getting up in the middle of the night (except to go to the bathroom). If she doesn't wander (I mean outside) you take one too so you can sleep. No use you not getting any sleep while you are the caregiver, if she will be safe without you watching her. If she can tolerate milk, it is loaded with tryptophan which will cause sleepiness. Don't think you can use a blood test to test for sleep-wake cycles. Drugs will only make her constipated, and then you really will have problems.
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Oh, I forgot to tell you that it would be a great idea to buy those pads for your mother's bed, to prevent her from wetting the bed. I put one directly on top of the mattress, then the bed sheet and then, another very absorbent pad under her for the night, I hope your mother uses the adult, super absorbent under ware too. She has been here for almost 3 years but the past 2 years, we at least can have UNINTERRUPTED SLEEP!!!!!
I hope this suggestions help.
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Hello: I feel your dilemma because we lived it for the first year my mother moved in with my husband and me. One of her medications is a little pill she takes at night to "help her relax" so she can fall asleep but, she still kept getting up to go to the bathroom several times a night. She wears the super absorbent under ware plus a super absorbent night pad. When I told her doctor about this, (oh and by the way, she fell several times during the night the first year she was here) she suggested getting a belt to tie her at night, I was surprised she said that but she told me that this is what they use at nursing homes to keep certain patients from wondering the halls. This is NOT something you can just buy at the pharmacy or on line, my mother's doctor had to order it as a prescription and only through her, I could buy it. So ask your mother's doctor if she can do that for you. You didn't mentioned how old is your mother, (mine is 91 and has dementia) and believe me, the first night I tied her up, she complained but I told her the doctor prescribed this for therapy for her back and she accepted it. I also give her one over the counter sleep aid and it's been working great. I get her untied at around 5am. when I get up to see my husband off to work, to change her under ware and she settles down back to sleep. For the first weeks, she looked like she had been trying to get up but, since she couldn't, she fell back asleep. I'm 63 and the primary caregiver for her and, I'm stressed out as it is, so I NEED MY SLEEP, and so does my husband. Talk to her doctor and explain your dilemma, this could be the solution to your sleepless nights. And don't feel bad about asking her doctor, you wont sound like a monster or an uncaring person, believe me, you are not being cruel or anything like that so I urge you to ask, ask, ask her doctor. I really hope you will.
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My mom was doing that, and she fell one night, that is why she is in assisted living now. While she was home I ordered a sensor alarm, as soon as she stepped out of bed, the alarm would go off. The 24 hr. care staff at her home apparently didn't like the noise and unplugged it. It wasn't expensive and I think it could help you.
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After trying all the obvious things: not too much liquid after bedtime, meds. if the Dr. approves them, quiet surroundings, all of which will help a little, you may need to consider hiring a home helper for the nights. They would stay awake and either coax your Mom back to sleep whenever she starts to get out of bed or keep your Mom company and keep her safe if she insists on being awake. This will allow you to sleep at night in order to be fresh to care for her during the day. The home aide that we had came at10:30 pm and stayed til 6:30am,allowing me time to shower and get ready to take over in the morning. She even helped my Mom shower and dress before she left since my Mom insisted on being awake. Its surprising how fast your body will learn to sleep once you know there is someone else keeping an eye on her. Prayers.
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I should also say that there is a lot of info on this site about different sleep routines people use. You may have to try different things, but a routine is the important part. The same thing at the same time, every single day.

Quiet surroundings, maybe some soft music in her room, and make sure there are good nightlights anywhere she might walk to.
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She needs to have an area where she can safely be awake while you sleep. This is a lot harder than it sounds in a typical residential setting.

Realize this is a signal type of behavior and it will not go away. Sleep meds can help, but this behavior is telling you that other changes are coming that you need to plan ahead for.

E.g. increased wandering, restlessness, etc.
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