Spring Forward
Dear Caregivers,
If you are reading this newsletter on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, you perhaps are feeling a little groggy. That’s because Daylight Saving Time has begun, and while the nation’s clocks have shifted forward an hour, your body and brain are still very much stuck in the past.
Your brain keeps an internal clock, which falls into a regular rhythm of alertness and tiredness that completes a cycle roughly every 24 hours. Called your “circadian rhythm,” this cycle is responsible for making you feel sleepy every night, and for waking you up every morning.
One of the major triggers that helps set your circadian rhythm is the sun, and when in the spring the clocks move back, suddenly the sunrise and sunset occur an hour later in the day. Your brain needs time to adjust your internal clock to the new timing, and that takes sometimes as much as several days. During those days you may feel a little groggy, irritable, and have difficulty sleeping. And it's not just you: The data shows that there is an increase in traffic accidents and heart attacks on the days following such a time shift.
The change in time can be even more challenging for your loved one suffering from Alzheimer's. They may not understand that a time change has occurred, and thus efforts to keep to their regular schedule, which is so important in your caregiving efforts, gets thrown off course. One option is to try to ease your loved one into the time change a little at a time, meaning that if they typically have a meal at noon, you might serve the meal just a little bit later, helping your loved one slowly adjust to the new timing of the meal, rather than making the change all at once.
In any case, don’t worry: The brain and body’s natural systems will eventually reset themselves again after a few days, and you all will happily spring into the new season!
Here are more resources from NAN on managing your time:
The Benefits of a Daily Routine:
A consistent daily routine provides structure and comfort for people suffering from dementia and their caregivers. Plan to continually explore, experiment, and adjust the activities based on the mood and the abilities of your loved one with dementia. Here’s an overview and sample daily schedule.
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, the person 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.
Time Management for Caregivers:
While there isn’t a way to create more time in the day, there are methods that can help you get the most out of every minute. Here are some strategies to help manage time effectively and free up time for yourself.
Best,
Rosemary D Laird, MD, MHSA
Founder and Chief Medical Officer
“You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe Daylight Saving Time."
— Dave Barry
