Has anyone experienced Sundowning or Sundown syndrome in their loved one with dementia?

Mom had it for years -- and sundowning can be dangerous due to falls. I controlled it very well with exercise. I did give her coffee in the morning and afternoon and kept her awake. What helped is taking her to the park and I would walk her a quarter of a mile..everyday seven days a week. It really helped. For the most part she would stay awake all day and sleep all night.

Regardless I used fall mats near the bed and floor alarms--the moment she put her feet on the floor it would go off.

During her 10 years of Alzheimer's disease (now she is very end stage and no longer able to walk), I have *never* given her a single bit of narcotic or psychiatric drug. I controlled her behavior strictly with exercise, and keeping her up during the day. That took a lot of effort. DON'T LET THEM SLEEP DURING THE DAY. Occasional naps are okay--but it is when they get their days and nights mixed up you will run into Sundowning and let me assure you that is very dangerous due to impulsiveness and falls. I gave mom coffee during the morning and afternoons. Coffee, I would say, helped her a lot.

I have found out with my mother that when this symptom starts late afternoon is that she is tired and needs to go to bed.
Sometimes this works sometimes it doesnt.
Every day is an adventure with some calm days (very few) and most of them very challenging.

yes my late wife had sundowners, memitine ,not spelled right pc says but I thought I spelled it right. have doctor prescribe my wife did a lot better when she was put on it. you start with 5mg at sundown, and advise doctor how she is doing can increase to 10 mg after like a month, it will take a week or a little more to see the change. my wife got like over it for a long time, she still had dementia not as bad. she was 82 years old/

In my experience, as a nurse, some patients do really well with Ativan for anxiety or Trazadone for sleep. It helps agitation generally and may calm your loved one, thus encouraging sleep. Melatonin is used alot on my unit as a more natural sleep aide. You might check with your loved one's physician for a prescription for either or both.

My mom's sundowners usually occurs about the late afternoon when we're
on our way back to the CH where she resides. She starts asking about her brothers and her Dad (all deceased) over and over. When I tell her they've passed, she's shocked, why no one told her, etc., but I gently remind her she was there at the funerals but she just forgot.
My mom's sundowners could mean she's tired, since we usually go out 1-2 times a week for about 4-5 hours doing lunch and store shopping (her favorite activity), and really enjoys herself.
Anyway, I've started carrying a water bottle & encourage her to drink thru out the day, especially when the sundowners comes on, and then I change the subject to something more pleasant.
My mom is on meds, and about 3pm when it starts to wear off, behavior agitation sets in & the CG has to give the next dose.
Occasionally 5mg. of Melatonin in addition to her medication helps her settle down at bedtime if she's still restless.
Best wishes.

Sundowning is typical with Alzheimer's and dementia, especially while in the hospital. I've seen it with both of my parents, and even hospital delirium recently with my mother. It was horrendous. I read this article on the subject when I Googled it:

The term "sundowning" refers to a state of confusion occurring in the late afternoon and spanning into the night. Sundowning can cause a variety of behaviors, such as confusion, anxiety, aggression or ignoring directions. Sundowning can also lead to pacing or wandering.

Sundowning isn't a disease, but a group of symptoms that occur at a specific time of the day that may affect people with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. The exact cause of this behavior is unknown.
Factors that may aggravate late-day confusion include:
Fatigue
Low lighting
Increased shadows
Disruption of the body's "internal clock"
Difficulty separating reality from dreams
Presence of an infection such as urinary tract infection
Tips for reducing sundowning:
Try to maintain a predictable routine for bedtime, waking, meals and activities.
Plan for activities and exposure to light during the day to encourage nighttime sleepiness.
Limit daytime napping.
Limit caffeine and sugar to morning hours.
Keep a night light on to reduce agitation that occurs when surroundings are dark or unfamiliar.
In the evening, try to reduce background noise and stimulating activities, including TV viewing, which can sometimes be upsetting.
In a strange or unfamiliar setting, bring familiar items — such as photographs — to create a more relaxed, familiar setting.
Play familiar gentle music in the evening or relaxing sounds of nature, such as the sound of waves.
Talk with your loved one's doctor if you suspect that an underlying condition, such as a urinary tract infection or sleep apnea, might be worsening sundowning behavior, especially if sundowning develops quickly.
Some research suggests that a low dose of melatonin — a naturally occurring hormone that induces sleepiness — alone or in combination with exposure to bright light during the day may help ease sundowning.
When sundowning occurs in a care facility, it may be related to the flurry of activity during staff shift changes or the lack of structured activities in the late afternoon and evening. Staff arriving and leaving may cue some people with Alzheimer's to want to go home or to check on their children — or other behaviors that were appropriate in the late afternoon in their past. It may help to occupy their time with another activity during that period.
With
Jonathan Graff-Radford, M.D.

Best of luck!!

My husband began to sundown early in his diagnosis. I had read that the part of the brain that processes (and enjoys) music remains strong for a longer time. I have been playing his favorite music, Frank Sinatra, and the change is astonishing. He goes from agitated and fretful to snapping his fingers! So I have incorporated relaxing music, spa music and Frank into our bag of tricks. I have a google speaker in nearly every room so asking it to play wherever we need a quick intervention is great. We even fall asleep to spa sounds and he has been falling out to sleep peacefully. I set it on a timer while we prepare for bed.

Oh yes! It’s very difficult for caregivers but think how scary it is for your LO. Even some medications which were meant to calm had the reverse effect. In some cases, the less medication, the better. Because many of the medications which are supposed to calm actually take away some of their reasoning and therefore they are more confused and scared. We found that keeping our LO’s schedule the same everyday and having his supper early followed by his bath and bed was the best plan. At that point, some light sleeping aid or other medication may help if you can get your LO asleep. The hospital was the worst with the change in everything plus all the noises day and night. We frequently walked all night - up and down the halls. Trying to keep him in bed or his room just made for a big fight and more agitation. So giving him what he wanted - within reason - was actually the best plan for us. Good luck

Every person here caring for a senior with dementia knows first hand about sundowner.

The best thing I could do was to eliminate every source of stress after noon. Appointments were morning only...etc.
this way he could have whatever he liked for early dinner and fall asleep in front of the TV or with his coloring books.

any excitement (even a phone call) could set it off.

My mother wants her purse and jacket because she thinks she is going somewhere. The doctor gave Ativan to give her if the agitation becomes too intense. It's not as bad as delirium though - it's like sundowners times 3. I have read to make sure that the room is very bright and maybe listening to music from their past at sundown would help. My mother usually ends up going into her room and I will put on some quiet music, and that seems to calm her down a good bit.