Spring Forward!
Dear Caregivers,
Conceived of by Ben Franklin as a way to economize on candle burning, and first implemented nationally by Germany to save energy during World War I, the soon-to-arrive annual transition to Daylights Saving Time (DST) has been a controversial part of American life for more than half a century.
The benefits of “springing forward” an hour on the clock, which occurs at 2:00 a.m. this upcoming Sunday morning, include reduced energy costs: As a result of next week’s time change, darkness will occur an hour later in the day, thus requiring less artificial lighting and providing more daylight in the evening for outdoor activities.
But the shift in time can also wreak havoc on the human body and mind. Shifting the clock an hour can lead to a disruption in peoples’ “circadian rhythm,” which is the natural time-keeper for the body, and this can result in jet-lag-like mood changes, memory issues, disorientation, and sleep disturbances that persist for days.
Health data show that the incidence of heart attacks and strokes increase in the first weeks after the onset of DST, and there is an increase in the incidence of traffic accidents and work-related injuries.
For a caregiver treating a loved one with Alzheimer’s the drawbacks of the time shift can be even worse.
SLEEP: Sleep can already be a challenge for loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s, and the time change can make these issues even worse, including increased periods of wakefulness at night and drowsiness during the day.
COGNITION: Lack of proper sleep can lead to the further decline of cognitive processes, including memory loss, disorientation, and disruptions in thinking.
SUNDOWNING: The time change can also lead to an increase in what is known as “sundowning” — a period of increased confusion, agitation, and anxiety for your loved one that typically occurs in the late afternoon and evening. There can be an increase in behaviors such as mood swings and hallucinations.
ROUTINES: The onset of DST can disrupt the structured routines that many loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s rely on to maintain their sense of calm and familiarity. The time shift throws off their structured routines of meals, medications, and other routines, which can lead to an increase in confusion and disorientation.
CAREGIVING: The effects of the change in time can also affect the overall health of you, the caregiver, as well, and thus further hamper your ability to care for your loved one.
Remember, however, that the effects of the time change will ease over the next several weeks, as the circadian cycles of both you and your loved one eventually adjust to the new time patterns. Here’s how to make that transition easier:
Gradually adjust your bedtime and wake-up times to earlier for several nights and mornings leading up to the change to DST.
Get outside first thing in the morning and expose yourself to natural light, which can help signal your circadian rhythms to reset your internal clocks..
Help improve your sleep through avoiding caffeine and exposure to blue light prior to bedtime.
Try to get in some morning activity, such as going for a walk, to help raise your body temperature and increase your wakefulness.
Try to maintain your daily routines as much as possible, and try to be as patient and calm with your loved one as possible during this transition.
Everyone is different, of course, and people experience the onset of DST with different degrees of difficulty. But with a little extra effort, you can make sure you and your loved one make the transition as smooth as possible, and are able to enjoy the extra daylight during the spring and summer.
Here is some more guidance to help get your through the transition:
Sleep Disturbance in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders:
People with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders often have problems with sleeping or may experience changes in their sleep schedule. Scientists do not completely understand why these sleep disturbances occur, but as with changes in memory and behavior, the impact of disease on the brain can result in changes in sleep. Here is your guide to sleep disturbance issues.
Sundowning and How to Manage it:
Sundowning is a state of increased agitation, activity and negative behaviors which happen late in the day through the evening hours. When sundowning, your loved one may become demanding, suspicious, upset, or disoriented, see or hear things that are not there, and believe things that are not true. They may pace or wander around the house while others are sleeping. Here are some tips for potentially reducing the occurrence of sundowning and softening its effects when it does happen.
Sleep the Stress Away:
The quality of an individual’s sleep is strongly connected to their overall physical, cognitive, and emotional health, and lack of sleep is a leading complaint of caregivers. Here are some tips on how to get some quality sleep.
Remember, if you can’t find the information you need on our website, you can always “Ask NAN” by clicking on this link.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
"One of the ways the telegraph changed us was it gave us an understanding of simultaneity. It made it possible for the world to have time zones, and Daylight Savings Time, and jetlag. All of that is due to the telegraph because, before that, the time was whatever it was, wherever you were.”
— James Gleick
