Why clock changes are difficult when you have dementia

At the weekend we changed the time - we moved from British Summer Time (BST) back to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Did it have much of an impact on you? Perhaps you appreciated the extra hour in bed on Sunday morning? Or the lighter mornings this week when you got up? Or maybe the darker evenings have meant you got home from school or college in the dark!

Why do the clocks change? (Royal Museums Greenwich)

If you have dementia, the impact can be more substantial: Clock change 'disorientating' for people with dementia - charity

People living with dementia often experience sleep disturbance such as nightmares and night terrors or difficulties going to sleep or staying asleep. They also have issues with staying awake during the day, or may become more agitated in the late afternoon, which is known as sundowning. All of this is occurs because dementia causes fundamental changes to the body's circadian rhythm.

Whilst you and I may be able to rationalise a lack of sleep, or a change from BST to GMT, people living with dementia may become more confused or disorientated, as their thoughts processes are slowed and can be jumbled.

Read more about how dementia affects sleep (Sleep Foundation)

You can find out more about circadian rhythms and sundowning, including how you can help a person manage the effects of sundowning, by watching the videos below.