Why does my husband, who has Alzheimer's, want to turn off the lights? He starts wandering around turning off lights after dinner.

BcAgingCare: Sadly, individuals suffering from dementia require more sleep. as even the simplest task is exhausting. With a malfunctioning brain, OCD like behaviors can come into play.

Look at this website:

https://newsroom.uvahealth.com/2023/07/26/alzheimers-discovery-suggests-key-role-for-light-sensitivity/

In part, it says:

New research suggests that enhanced light sensitivity may play an important role in Alzheimer's disease and its progression. 

New Alzheimer’s research from UVA Health suggests that enhanced light sensitivity may contribute to “sundowning” – the worsening of symptoms late in the day – and spur sleep disruptions thought to contribute to the disease’s progression. 

The new insights into the disruptions of the biological clock seen in Alzheimer’s could have important potential both for the development of treatments and for symptom management, the researchers say. For example, caregivers often struggle with the erratic sleep patterns caused by Alzheimer’s patients’ altered “circadian rhythms,” as the body’s natural daily cycle is known. Light therapy, the new research suggests, might be an effective tool to help manage that.

Further, better understanding Alzheimer’s effects on the biological clock could have implications for preventing the disease. Poor sleep quality in adulthood is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, as our brains, at rest, naturally cleanse themselves of amyloid beta proteins that are thought to form harmful tangles in Alzheimer’s. 
“Circadian disruptions have been recognized in Alzheimer's disease for a long time, but we've never had a very good understanding of what causes them,” said researcher Thaddeus Weigel, a graduate student working with Heather Ferris, MD, PhD, of the University of Virginia School of Medicine’s Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism. “

This research points to changes in light sensitivity as a new, interesting possible explanation for some of those circadian symptoms.”

In addition, ask your husband's medical provider.

Gena / Touch Matters

My mom used to do this. In her case she was very worried about the house burning down (she was particularly concerned that a lightbulb might catch a lampshade on fire). But she also hated having any doors, windows or blinds open, which fits with the "shutting out the world" idea mentioned above. The house became very cave-like, which was difficult for her caregivers (including me) given the already depressing nature of the situation. It was her house and we wanted to respect her wishes, but sometimes we had to push back and let the light in for our own sanity and good spirits.

My cousin was finally diagnosed with ALZ at 68. She's now 71 and in hospice because she's wafer thin and weak. She chooses to keep her eyes closed all the time. She'll talk to people, reluctantly, but rarely opens her eyes to do so. Even when she's eating or being fed.

Unfortunately as others have pointed out, it can be a symptom of dementia. I have caregivers most mornings provided by the VA. I am beginning to switch the caregivers to afternoon to help deal with these behaviors that probably are related to sundowning. This seems to be helping because they help provide distraction.

My husband has PD related dementia. For a long time I tried to keep him up until 8:00pm. When it became a losing battle, I began letting him go to bed at 7:00pm. Some days he begins wanting to go as early as 4:00pm. If we head to the bathroom, he goes straight to the bed as we walk through the bedroom and the struggle begins. Once in the bathroom, sure enough he really needs to go but the bed easily distracts him.

He hasn't given me a problem with the lights but he will go around closing all the blinds. From time to time, he will turn off the TV. He seems to be reverting back to when he closed up the house even locking the doors. Then I found out the doors were not locked, he just fiddled with the keys.

I had numerous frustrating moments reminding him bedtime was not until 7:00pm and showed him the large digital clock right by his chair For his birthday I gave him an analog watch because it was the only one with a stretch band but not sure he could still tell time. I found it actually helped because 6:40pm on a digital clock did not show him how much time was left before 7:00pm. It was amazing how for a while he did not insist he wanted to go to bed early. It did not stop completely but it still works to tell him to check his watch. Of course, as his dementia progresses his concept of time probably will too.

Time changes can certainly affect these behaviors too.

There is reseach showing that the light sensitive area of the brain is very much affected by dementia. This may be a factor in your husband's behavior. A friend's husband does the same thing-switching off lights-he has Frontal Temporal Dementia. My husband has FTD too, and is happiest if the room he's in is very dark. One interesting tip I've read is to either take down mirrors or cover them, as that may add to their confusion/distress of potentially "seeing things."
The light issues seem to taper off as the days get longer. I hope that may happen for your husband.

After reading others' comments it occurs to me, and forgive me if this sounds a bit macabre or morbid, but when life feels too confusing or too hard to handle/comprehend, the urge to 'shut it off' even temporarily can manifest in just wanting to sleep. Sleep can be a refuge, a way to 'reboot', start anew. By dimming, turning off lights as if preparing for bedtime may be a way to say 'enough of This day!' Even without dementia or sleep issues we can just want to retreat and rest awhile, right? Yes, it can be a feature of Depression, but even infants 'check out' when they are overstimulated (like how they can sleep in the middle of lots of noise and activity around them, in their stroller in a busy store, etc.!) The nervous system needs/wants to regulate/reboot. Life really is 'too much' sometimes; we can't all just go crawl into bed tho! More is being said about the wisdom of napping, even for healthy adults for much the same reason; our culture is high pressure/high stimulation almost 24/7.

After reading others' comments it occurs to me, and forgive me if this sounds a bit macabre or morbid, but when life feels too confusing or too hard to handle/comprehend, the urge to 'shut it off' even temporarily can manifest in just wanting to sleep. Sleep can be a refuge, a way to 'reboot', start anew. By dimming, turning off lights as if preparing for bedtime may be a way to say 'enough of This day!' Even without dementia or sleep issues we can just want to retreat and rest awhile, right? Yes, it can be a feature of Depression, but even infants 'check out' when they are overstimulated (like how the can sleep in the middle of lots of noise and activity around them, in their stroller in a busy store, etc.!) The nervous system needs/wants to regulate/reboot.

Is there any way you can convince him to leave some lights on for what you are doing and allow him to turn the others off? My mom turned lights low and shut drapes and curtains early in the evening because she was afraid someone was out in the dark watching us, even in the backyard. Sundowning, yes. She was already on medication to calm her and did it still. She also unplugged everything, thinking she was wasting electricity. She had always depended on my dad for her safety and money managing and when he was gone she just tried in her Alzheimer's mind to take care of things the way she thought he would have. Had he lived, I don't think she would have had these sorts of fears. She finally learned to trust me the way she had trusted him and it stopped. Some of it anyway. Drapes got shut, but enough light and electricity for me to work on my computer stayed on.

At my MIL's EOL--she was doing the weirdest things--throwing away things she didn't 'recognize', like a dish, or the power cord to something (her laptop, being one--) she'd throw out her fall pendants on the reg. Then she started rearranging cupboards with a vengeance. If she was asked what she was doing, she didn't KNOW.

The 'kids' kind of laughed about it, but now she's gone and we're trying to figure out where she put so many things--finally after the house was totally empty, we just figured out anything we couldn't 'find' had been thrown away.

And she would not turn on the light inside the house. She was afraid that someone would break in if it looked like the house was occupied.

Honestly? No rhyme or reason for this behavior. We all just gave up.

When you ask him, what does he tell you?
Because for us, just as for you, it is anyone's guess.
These are quite typical habitual compulsive habits that seem to form, that may be ongoing or temporary or replaced with other compulsive habits.

Exhaustion and a wish for sleep is typical of the aging whether demented or competent. We need more sleep and long for more sleep in many instances. Doesn't mean the body itself is ready for sleep.

For some seniors doctors try to bit of medical marijuana now, and for some doctors try a low dose anti depressant. I would discuss this with the doc.

Yes, ALZ can include ocd-like behaviors. You should mention this to his doctor.

Also, their body clock can get broken so try to give him "tasks" to do that will burn mental & physical energy so he sleeps better at night, like sorting & pairing a large number of nuts and bolts, folding a large vbasket of kitchen towels, sorting colored poker chips. These are all invented tasks that he can do every day. Even twice a day if he doesnt remember doing them earlier.

OCD behavior - my Dad would turn off the AC unit in 95 degree weather - it drove me crazy or unplug the AC . I got a Portable AC unit and he didnt turn that Off . Could be the sound Bothered him .

It definitely sounds like an OCD behavior(which is very common with dementia), so I would talk to his doctor about what medication(s) may help him with that as well as for his sundowning.