Sundowning early in the day?

Have you heard of “bright light therapy”? Go on line and search. You will find some interesting definitions for the use of these lamps. My husband has Parkinsons and has poor sleep patterns, however, he is sleeping better after the purchase of this lamp. This lamp might possibly help with sun downing. I checked with his neurologist before I purchased and he ok’d. I wish you luck in your endeavors.

God bless all of us dealing with this they have much more to deal with and we do too, but we also have another side of the dealing with , more of an inconvenience and questionable but they have no idea what’s going on
Being kind and flexible as often very hard and I wish all of you the best in your hearts because I know it’s hard but that is what is needed as well as a lot of education thank you all for all of your help

Yes
My brother has Parkinson’s but he will be zoned out all day long looking at the floor and then after 530 he’s Wideawake

1 question - what time does she get up? - there is a big difference between someone who gets up at 5:30 every morning & another who gets up at 9:00 - main factor here is how many hours is she up before she sundowns

Remember everyone who suffers from dementia is on their own path & none of them do everything exactly the same way as the generalities say

Wow, what an amazing response! First of all, thank you so much to all of you that responded to this post. It's good to know that there are others who experience this "Early Sundowning". A few people mentioned a possible medication reaction, however, believe it or not, even at 90 years old, my Grandma is only on 3 RX medications. All 3 to regulate her Blood Pressure, and they are minimal doses. She has been on her meds for quite sometime now, and hasn't exhibited this behavior the entire time. This started happening about 3 months ago. Also, I know that lighting the environment is usually very helpful, but my Grandma hates having most lights on. Ever since her dementia really started progressing, she has developed a sensitivity to light. The slightest glare or even a light that is in entirely different room is an issue. She usually has a late breakfast around 10:00, and she begins her Sundowning at about 11:00, so I am pretty sure that hunger isn't her issue. She can still get herself to the bathroom, and luckily hasn't had issues with incontinence, and she generally dozes off after she's had breakfast. Nothing goes unaddressed for sure. I have certainly tried putting on music that she used to listen to, but she tells me to turn off after about 2 mins. As for older TV shows, she likes to watch The Golden Girls, which I found for her on Hulu. Now she has to watch it every single day, since it's part of her routine. Most of us know that routine is extremely important to those living with dementia, so any changes are usually not welcome. I have seen the entire Golden Girls series, at least 7 times by now! I've tried to put something else on, (other classic TV shows), but she refuses to give anything else a try, and will become extremely anxious and upset if she can't watch "The Girls".
Honestly, I feel like I am at a total loss with her. Now, most days, it doesn't matter what I do for her, she just CANNOT be pleased. I've tried all of the suggestions that are recommended to deter "Sundowning", and nothing has been effective.

The brain is incredibly complex; and each brain is unique. Yes, my wife (eight years into Alzheimer's) often becomes confused early in the day, then sorts things out and relates well subsequently. I call it "sunrising" and it is not surprising, as all of us take a bit of time to wake up and get sorted on many mornings.

We all have the right to change our behavior throughout the day, linked to medications/tiredness and lack of energy/motivation/hunger and other issues. So it is not surprising that this often happens with those living with dementia.

Could it be that she is tired or hungry at that time if day? Like with small children who need a nap or an early lunch/snack? Sometimes medication that peaks at a certain time or interacts with another medication might cause pain or confusion that manifests as agitation.
grandma might need to use the bathroom at that time, which causes her stress and anxiety.
Try some soothing music from the past. My gram used to watch reruns of the Lawrence Welk show! Best wishes!

I switched all the lighting to LED and it seemed to be better. The light is brighter, a cleaner light. During the winter I did keep more lights on to counterbalance the dark outside.
i even put LED light in the light fixture that is in the shower. Helped me a lot nice bright light.
The CFL bulbs take a while to get to full illumination so I am not a real fan, plus disposing of them is not so easy. They should be recycled as they contain a small amount of mercury.

Is it possible your mother is having a reaction to some medication or supplement she takes in the morning? Or maybe some food allergy? And is returning to normal behavior as it clears her system?

My mom in addition to Sundowning has Shadowing, which is follows me all around. Yes my Mom has Sundowning earlier in the day and by the time 5PM comes around there are is no sign of Sundowning but other issues. I've told the aide that comes to help mom, that mom's clock must be in reverse because of her early Sundowning.

Thank you! I will definitely do that. Never heard of CFL bulbs but you can bet I’ll find them. Appreciate your advice.

My husband has early sundowners syndrome and he starts turning all the lights on in the house by 11:00am. The electric company informed me I’m using 4 times more electricity than my neighbors and tacked on a huge penalty. My electric bill has quadrupled. His mood is definitely improved if the house is light. Does your aunt do this?