Sundowning.... From the heart

Norrms

Registered User
Feb 19, 2009
5,631
0
Torquay Devon
SUNDOWNING........ From The Heart


As it gets later in the day i seem to drift off into a world of my own. this , i know, is part of my sundowning and i am going to try , as best i can, explain what i mean, please bear with me.

Do you know when you are just drifting off to sleep, and you sometimes enter a dream state? your eyes are closed and you dream very lightly? Well, if you can imagine the same thing happening, but with your eyes open. My thoughts and actions seem to take me to places i have never been before, although some seem very familiar. I lose all track of time and sometimes feel as if i have spent a day away, or hours at the very least, when in actual fact, it may have only been a few minutes, i hope you are with me so far. The places i travel to are very real to me and sometimes as i come round i feel as if i have forgotten something, or i have forgotten to be somewhere, like a missed appointment, or meeting. Sometimes i feel as if i am working in an environment i know so well, but when i come out of my sundowning state, all that is left is confusion and a lack of understanding of how i could have been somewhere for so long, and yet here i am, still sat in my front room, or in a waiting room at the Drs or such like.


It does not matter sometimes what time of day it is but its usually in the latter part of the day, or later, not every night, but seems to be most days these days. I have found myself standing, talking in the front room, when, what seems like seconds before i was on a playing field, or walking into town. I feel as if i actually know people, from my sundowning side, people i have got to know and know by sight, their faces so very familiar, and yet, in the cold light of day, i know this to be impossible?

Am i insane ? NO

Do i have a mental Illness ? NO

Do i suffer (not live with ) Sundowning caused by my dementia ? YES !!

More should be researched on this but more importantly, more should be said about this part of the illness, it should be talked about in care homes, class rooms and support groups, it should be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century and shown to all what horrors it brings so we can begin to understand it,

THIS IS MY SUNDOWNING

In my humble opinion
Please share,
Hope it helps,
Much love, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
When mum's sundowning has finished, she gets very tired. The mental and physical activity just wears her out.
 

Chaucer 1931

Registered User
Mar 30, 2014
226
0
Thank you Norms,for sharing,it helps us to understand a little of the suffering our loved ones go through,
And educates those that do not know the reality of dementia. xxx


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point
 

Acco

Registered User
Oct 3, 2011
228
0
Thank you for giving us an insight into one aspect of dementia that can easily be misunderstood by others.
 

Patricia Alice

Registered User
Mar 2, 2015
179
0
Thank you Norms and from the heart too.

My mom has sundowning, she often thinks she has been to Blackpool for the week and just got back, and doesn't want to go again as it's too much for her, when she has only been out for an hour.

I agree, I wish more would/could be done to understand this disease.

Bless you
 

Essie

Registered User
Feb 11, 2015
563
0
Thank you Norrms, so articulate and descriptive of something that to most of us is a total mystery - perhaps Admin will make a separate heading (I know there are lots of headings already!) for Sundowning and copy this into it - I think it could be an invaluable resource for people trying to cope with this aspect of dementia either as a sufferer or as a carer.

Thank you again Norrms for sharing and for articulating it so well - when something is made 'real' it is, even if only slightly, easier to cope with I think.
 

Norrms

Registered User
Feb 19, 2009
5,631
0
Torquay Devon
I have to agree i think writings such as this should be shared all over the forum to educate, but , as they say, rules are rules and i do have dementia and this is the "I have dementia " forum, i just wish they would bend a little now and again, so it could benefit more people , thank you for you kind comments xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
Oh norrms , what an insight , thank you for sharing that x
 

LynneMcV

Volunteer Moderator
May 9, 2012
6,116
0
south-east London
Norrms thank you so much for describing what is happening during sundowning.
The information is invaluable to me (and I am sure that applies to all who use these forums).
I want to learn as much as I can so that I will be better able to understand what my husband is experiencing when the time comes for him to go through the various stages. Sadly my husband struggles to get his words out these days - so thank you for being his voice xxx.