Helpline: Tips for managing changes in sleep with a dementia diagnosis

Getting a restful night’s sleep when you’re living with dementia can be an elusive task. This episode contains tips on managing your changing sleep patterns.

If you’d like tailored support to tackle sleep issues, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email.

Dementia Australia has plenty of resources relating to sleep on its website here. And for more discussion about sleep and dementia, listen to this episode of Hold the Moment.

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios.

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram and find support resources online.

This episode was hosted by Jim Rogers and Kristin, a National Dementia Helpline Advisor. It was produced by Luci McAfee. Executive producers are Grace Pashley and Kellie Riordan.

The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
- We all need a good night'ssleep to live a healthy life,
but after a dementia diagnosis,
the long dark hours can be so challenging.
I'm Jim Rogers, andthis is Hold The Moment,
a podcast from Dementia Australia.
Since my own diagnosis ofyounger-onset Alzheimer's,
I often wake up, sometimesa little disorientated

(00:26):
or unsure of my surroundings.
Some of you might beexperiencing bad dreams as well.
We've done a whole episode ofHold The Moment about sleep.
You'll meet Anne, who spent a lot of time
trying to get better rest,
and if you haven't heard that episode yet,
do find it in your podcast feed,
but this is our sleep bonus episode

(00:48):
with advice from theNational Dementia Helpline,
a free service available 24-hours a day
if you need some support.
Here's one of their advisors, Kristin,
with some tips for a better night's sleep.
- When you wake up in the night,
you might feel a bitconfused and disoriented,
and that can feel a bit scary.

(01:09):
There are some thingsthat you might want to try
that help you feel more comfortable
when you wake up in the night.
Leaving on a nightlight thatguides you towards the toilet,
or a favourite reading chair,
or a place where you mightlisten to some music.
It might also be helpful if you start
to feel confused or disoriented.
Just take a moment to closeyour eyes and take a breath,

(01:32):
and as your worries melt a little bit,
it might feel easier tofigure out what to do next.
It might be helpful to keep your bedroom
as clear as possible.
It'll make it easier for you to navigate
if you need to leave your room,
and it might be less confusing

(01:54):
with unusual shadows or shapes.
If you find that you arewaking up in the night,
you could make some plansso that you already know
ahead of time that this might happen.
During the day, you could gettogether some of the things
that help you relax,that make you feel good.
Maybe you've got a favouritechair, a favourite blanket,

(02:16):
photos of some of your favourite people,
and you could put them there ready,
so any night that you wake up
and you're not feeling a hundredpercent, you've got a place
that you can go to where youcan feel good and feel safe.
It's great that you've noticedthat your sleep is changing
and you're wonderingwhat might be causing it.

(02:38):
Your GP is a great placeto go to talk about
all of the things thatcould be impacting sleep,
and it's really importantyou talk with your GP
about changing anything like medication.
Your GP knows you really well
and can look holisticallyat all of the things
that could be impacting on sleep,
and come up with a planto improve it for you.

(03:03):
If you've got any questions,or you want to talk
to somebody about anythingyou've heard on this episode,
or how to get through a sleepless night,
you can contact theNational Dementia Helpline
on 1800 100 500.
You'll get to speak to an advisor like me,
and we're here 24-hours aday, every day of the year.