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So, what this means is that during daylight savings time she will stay up as late as 8:30 pm. Now, since DST has ended, it's more like 5:30. I wouldn't be concerned except that she will sleep for at least 14 hours, sometimes 16. I had always thought you slept LESS as you get older. Is this excessive sleeping the dementia? She seems her "normal" self during the time she is up, takes walks around the block,(she's lived in this house for over 30 years so I don't worry that she will get lost, not yet anyway), and she enjoys eating and watching I Love Lucy over and over (I bought her the entire set--best decision I ever made btw- lol- keeps her occupied).

Anyway, I just wonder if she just goes to sleep because she thinks it's bedtime (dark) and if so, why wouldn't she at least get up earlier? I told her doctor how long she sleeps but her doctor doesn't seem concerned. But that seems like excessive sleeping to me. Maybe she just likes sleeping? If it's not bad for her health I would just accept it and not worry.

When I sometimes say, "you are going to bed? it's only 5:30" her reply is the exact same every time, "well, there's nothing on TV so I'm going to go to bed early tonight." But this is EVERY night.

Anyone deal with anything like this? TIA!

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Well, I suppose it is not typical -- but neither are lots of other behaviors with dementia. It may simply be normal for her. I doubt it is a health concern. If she is OK (considering the dementia) the other 10 hours of the day, I'd say that is the important thing.

If you'd like to extend her "up" time a little, you could try some after-dinner activity, such as a card game she knows well, or looking at scrapbooks together. I wouldn't force the issue, though.

In the final stages of dementia they begin sleeping a lot more. But that is 20 hours or more -- you are a long way from that.

I, too, thought elders needed less sleep, but as I approach the end of my sixties I'm not finding that true for myself.
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Thank you for your reply, JeanneGibbs. I guess I am just looking for reassurance that it isn't bad for her health to do all that sleeping. She isn't overweight, so that's good I guess. LOL. If I slept that much I guarantee I'd be.

I was hoping it was true too--needing less sleep as you get older--that would leave more time in the day!
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My mom calls me at 9:00 Pm and instructing me to go to sleep even I'm 38 years old she is over 60 and she is asking for peace before going to sleep argues with her are also easy even or where when I was 5 Years old. I wonder why if she does not have any thing I know about she is in bez because she runs restaurant and says that "Student dopisze to go to bed at 10 Pm."
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I'd: Case&Mom&BO3-Iwona-3CN
Court case against her acting like an actor. But in reality I can't prove to her that it is only for people that are immortals. Her Dream gives me idea of another planet which isn't cool because so I have to fight for love again not love of my mom but my own love.
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Being a care giver, a R.N. & most active...my natural self goes to sleep when the sun sets & I am up to great the dawn & have a few hours to myself.

I have no mental illness. I take no medication. I am 68. I'm thrilled if I sleep for 6 to 8 hours a night.
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Sometimes depression causes one to sleep too much, but if she's not depressed, then I would guess it was the dementia.

My cousin started sleeping more and more with her dementia. She was in her early 60's, but would sleep from 10:00 p.m. until 11:00 a.m. almost every day. As her dementia progressed, she would sleep even later. She didn't stop doing that until she went into Assisted Living and got on anti-depressants. Now that she is in Memory Care facility and on Cymbalta, she gets up every morning with their assistance by 7:00 a.m. and stays up until bedtime at 10:00 p.m. and never naps. She's always alert when I see her. So, I would look into the depression issue and if that's not an issue, then I would just let her enjoy her sleep.

The only downside I see is that she may grow to want to stay in the bed longer and longer. Then it's a chore to get them up for meals, doctor appts, bathing and even using the bathroom.
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