{"id":5944,"date":"2015-09-26T07:33:13","date_gmt":"2015-09-26T12:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=5944"},"modified":"2017-09-19T11:51:25","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T16:51:25","slug":"what-is-sundowning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/09\/what-is-sundowning\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Sundowning?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Sundowning?\"What<\/h1>\n

Are you caring for a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a><\/strong>? \u00a0Do you notice significant changes in the way they act in the late afternoon or early evening? \u00a0Doctors call this behavior\u00a0sundowning<\/strong>, or sundown syndrome<\/a><\/strong>, as it appears to be triggered by fading light. \u00a0Symptoms may get worse as the night progresses.<\/p>\n

As many as\u00a01 out of 5 people with Alzheimer\u2019s get sundown syndrome. But it can also happen to older people without dementia.<\/p>\n

Symptoms of Sundowning<\/h2>\n

The most common symptom is confusion as natural light fades and shadows increase. \u00a0The individual may get agitated easily and have severe mood swings. \u00a0These may lead to increased yelling and frustration toward the caregiver.<\/p>\n

As the sun fades, individuals becoming increasingly fatigued both mentally and physically. \u00a0He or she may have uncontrollable tremors.<\/p>\n

As the individual tries to go to sleep, restlessness can increase and can lead to pacing and roaming if individual is in confused condition.<\/p>\n

Causes of Sundowning<\/h2>\n

Doctors are not really sure what causes sundowning. Some scientists think that changes in the brain of someone with dementia might mess up their internal body clock. The area of the brain that signals when you\u2019re awake or asleep breaks down in people with Alzheimer\u2019s, which might cause sundowning.<\/p>\n

Other things can trigger sundowning such as:<\/p>\n