not sleeping

kindheart

Registered User
Jan 18, 2007
39
0
mums not sleeping very well, have tried sleeping tablets from doctor but she still gets up!

I am sitting here after putting her back to bed for the third time tonight knowing that I am going to be up till the early hours at this rate.

what else can I do?
 

christine_batch

Registered User
Jul 31, 2007
3,387
0
Buckinghamshire
Dear Kindheart,
Before my husband was taken into a Care Home in May, Peter's sleep patteern was terrible. He was prescribed sleeping tablets. Some days they worked and some days they did not. Have you tried any of the following :
1. Playing peaceful music in her room ?
2. Lavender oil
3. This is the difficult one, keeping her as active as possible during the day.
4, Warm drink last thing at night.

Good luck. Christine
 

kindheart

Registered User
Jan 18, 2007
39
0
thanks christine

well everything apart from music and lavender, do you know can I string some up from the garden?
 

Ashburton

Registered User
Feb 19, 2007
99
0
My mum has also had this problem. Some sleeping tablets work others don't. She is on Delmane at the moment which seems to work for her. The comination of Delmane together with Solian and Lorezapam within an hour or so of each other seem to make my mum sleep well, sleeps the night without waking up, I try and not let her sleep in too late the next day.She would sleep until the afternoon if I did not wake her. If she does sleep in then even with sleeping tablets she will have difficulty sleeping that night.

My mum also walks constantly now during the day, this used to really worry me but I was told by the specialist to allow my mum to walk as it will allow her to sleep better at night.

I wold tell the doctor sleeping tablets are not workig, he may be able to give stronger ones.
 

Taffy

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
1,314
0
Hello kindheart, I hope that you can solve this problem soon. A thread started by gerrie ley, titled... may help... might interest you. Best Wishes Taffy.
 

christine_batch

Registered User
Jul 31, 2007
3,387
0
Buckinghamshire
You can with lavender from the garden. Try tying it in a bunch, even rubbing it over pillows. If you can get some lavender oil that would be great. In a bowl of hot water immerse lavender heads/or lavender oil but put the bowl some where your Mum cannot reach. I did this with Peter and it calmed him down an helped him to relax then bliss sleep. (Do hope you like the smell of lavender), Good Luck. Christine
 

CraigC

Registered User
Mar 21, 2003
6,633
0
London
Hi Kindheart,

the following factsheet has some detail on sleep disturbance medication. I agree with others that it can be hit and miss and hard to get the balance right.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/Caring...a/Unusual_behaviour/advice_drugsbehaviour.htm

"Drugs for treating sleep disturbance


Sleep disturbance, and in particular persistent wakefulness and night-time restlessness, can be distressing for the person with dementia and disturbing for carers. Many of the drugs commonly prescribed for people with dementia can cause excessive sedation during the day, leading to an inability to sleep at night.
Increased stimulation during the day can reduce the need for sleep-inducing medications (hypnotics) at night.

Hypnotics are generally more helpful in getting people off to sleep at bedtime than they are at keeping people asleep throughout the whole of the night. They are usually taken 30 minutes to one hour before going to bed.

Chlormethiazole is generally well tolerated by elderly people, although some cannot take it because it produces an unpleasant itching sensation in the nose. Benzodiazepines (see section on drugs for treating anxiety) such as temazepam are frequently prescribed.
"

I also have this old bookmark that may help. You can skip to the summary if it is too much to digest. Reading the whole article may send you off to sleep, but there are some good snippets.

Assessing and Treating Sleep Disturbances in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

sweet dreams
Craig
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
sleeping tablet never work for my mother , what help my mother was leaving the TV on , if TV is not on she won't sleep during the night . the volume on low , just that mum was married to dad for 55 years after he died she just hated sleeping in the room alone , she would get up in the middle of the night wanting to sleep in my room . would just find her standing near my bed , or she be making load of noise banging doors

So TV is like company for her and she sleep all the night, if one of my daughter turn it off she be awake half the night . so now we all know not to turn TV of .


have notice that if one of my daughter who does not live with us , stays the night she sleep in same room as mum, and TV does not need to be on and she also sleep in late in the morning . where if daughter does not stay the night mum up really early in the morning
 

kindheart

Registered User
Jan 18, 2007
39
0
thanks everyone for your input,

sorry think I am a little mean as not posted for a while as things have been a little difficult and often dont know what eles to add to others posts etc.

would idealy like to keep off sleeping tablets, not keen on any form of medication will deff try lavender from garden.

and as we speak mum is shuffling around will have to got to put her back to bed now.
 

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