She is about to be 83. Most of her life she was a night person. She worked night shift, so she slept during the day, but over the last year and becoming more often, she will stay up for 46 hours at a time, which is playing havoc on my nerves. She is also having problems with loose stool. I have tried to logically explain that this is not healthy and offer steps to her excuses of staying up for so many hours on end, and perhaps changing her diet so that she would not have the loose stool problem, but we always end up at a stand still. No doctor, No sleeping pills, I want my cereal. I am really at my wits end. I really don't know what to do, except for trying to stop caring about, but that seems to be impossible, because when I wake up and still hear the TV on I get sick to my stomach, and the cycle starts over again. Does anyone have this issue with their parent?
A person watching T.V. can doze on/off, and unless monitored you will not have an accurate assessment of her wake/sleep schedule.
You could take one night and observe her sleep, or intermittently check on her.
What I am trying to say is, just because the T.V. is on, does not mean she is awake.
Can you set the T.V. to go OFF automatically at a certain time. Then, if she does not call out, she may be asleep.
I hope this helps you to not worry as much, or to get sick to your stomach.
Try relaxing music instead, for you and your Mom.
The problem with melatonin is that it is not in itself something that causes sleepiness, it is something that occurs naturally in our brains and tells our brains when it is time to sleep. So, if your mom is not sleeping, giving her melatonin when her brain is confused and very awake may not do what you're hoping. Just a thought if you find it doesn't work I'd stop giving it.
https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Made-Recover-Melatonin-Supporting/dp/B085V6378Q
https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Sleep-Aid-Patches-Ingredients/dp/B08R445SFF