Dementia

In people with dementia, sleep patterns are often abnormal.

As dementia advances, time spent in light sleep increases, so you are easily awakened.

People suffering with dementia may have disorders that contribute to sleep problems.

The disorders can be dehydration, arthritis, and infections which can cause pain and discomfort interfering with your sleep.

Dementia is a progressive brain dysfunction which results in a restriction of daily activities and makes it hard for a person to remember, learn and communicated. Dementia can also change a person’s mood and personality.

Cause of Dementia:

The slowly progressing destruction of nerve cells in the brain leads to Alzheimer’s disease. Certain number of nerve cells is loosened during ageing but this loss occurs much more rapidly in people suffering from Alzheimer’s. Therefore, the patient’s brain does not function normally any longer.

The disease is caused by genetic changes in the family, but it is a rare condition. In this case, symptoms usually occur before the age of sixty.

Patients with violent rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder have a high probability of developing dementia, Parkinson’s or multiple system atrophy because all of these conditions stem from a neurodegenerative origin.

Dementia symptoms:

• People who have dementia may have difficulty in performing familiar tasks.
• People with dementia may forget simple words. People with this condition have problem with language.
• People with dementia often forget things and never remember them.
• They can forget how they got to certain place and how to get back home.
• They may put the things in wrong place and try to search for those things.
• People with dementia have fast mood swings.
• They have drastic changes in their personality like becoming irritable, suspicious and fearful.

Dementia diagnosis:

The usual symptom of dementia is memory loss. It is suspected by family members and friends. Doctor conducts a physical exam. He asks questions about recent and past illnesses and events. He can ask to do simple things that test your memory and mental skills.

Doctor conducts blood tests to check thyroid problem. Brain tests such as MRI and CT scan are conducted. These tests can help to find any tumor or brain injury.

Dementia treatment:

The person’s environment is carefully planned and structured with supportive activities to reduce the symptoms of dementia. Drugs can play an important role in controlling symptoms and can enable a person with dementia to live independently. The treatment helps in relieving behavioral symptoms such as restlessness or agitation and improves the quality of life.

Alternative therapy may help treat dementia without the side effects of pharmaceuticals. Nutrition treatment can provide quick results in people with nutrition deficiency.

Treatment of the underlying cause may help improve sleep. Daytime naps are not helpful because they make sleeping at night more difficult. Walk outside in bright light, keep your bedroom temperature comfortable, do not consume alcohol beverages and avoid the drinks that contain caffeine during evening to have a good night sleep.