Why Does My Elderly Loved One Sleep All Day?

As people age, they tend to sleep more lightly than when they were younger. Waking up during the night due to achy joints or the need to use the restroom becomes commonplace. Many seniors compensate for this lost sleep by catching a restorative nap during the day. That’s normal.

Daytime sleepiness in the elderly becomes problematic when a loved one spends most of their time dozing in bed or in their favorite chair instead of engaging in life. If you want an older adult to stay awake more during the day and sleep better at night, you’ll need to discover the underlying reason(s) for their excessive napping. In some cases, you may need a doctor’s help to narrow down the cause and recommend solutions. Knowing what to look for can give you a jumpstart on improving a senior’s sleep schedule.

What Causes an Elderly Person to Sleep All the Time?

Boredom and Lack of Engagement: As people age, they may develop chronic health conditions and experience age-related changes that prevent them from doing the things they enjoy. When options for outings, activities, and entertainment are limited, it can deal a serious blow to an elder’s quality of life. They aren’t working anymore, they may struggle with reading or puzzles, and watching TV eventually gets old. In these cases, elders may not be clinically depressed or even all that tired. Instead, their fatigue stems from the fact that they are incredibly bored. With no schedule to keep and not much to look forward to in their lives, they slide into the habit of napping throughout most of the day.

Medication Problems: Polypharmacy is a serious concern for older adults. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 89 percent of Americans age 65 and older report taking prescription medicine, including more than half (54 percent) who report taking four or more prescriptions.

All medications have side effects, so it should come as no surprise that taking multiple drugs can produce interactions that magnify these effects. In addition, older individuals metabolize medications differently than their younger counterparts, meaning they are even more susceptible to adverse effects like drowsiness and dizziness.

Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications for conditions like anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, nausea, and allergies can all cause excessive sleepiness. Atypical (second-generation) antipsychotics are notoriously hard on elderly patients as well, especially those living with dementia. If your loved one is using…

Continue reading on Agingcare for more on why so many older people sleep (perhaps) too much:

Helpful Tools:

Stay connected with Memoryboard: Designed by caregivers. Memoryboard helps families share reminders, messages, updates, and photos on an easy-to-use screen designed for people with dementia. Peace of mind for families, independence for loved ones.

 Leslie Kernisan, MD, MPH, has opened up support! View two free caregiving webinars that can help you help your older parents (and yourself).

Discover the Difference. EGOSAN: The premium incontinence brand caregivers love: They save work!   Now Available on Amazon.

Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories: “…This book is for all of us; let it help you cope! Thank you to the author and everyone she spoke with!” …Dolores