Sleep in Persons with Dementia: Increasing Quality of Life by Managing Sleep Disorders

In individuals with dementia, sleep disruptions (e.g., increased number of nighttime awakenings after falling asleep, lower sleep efficiency, increased daytime napping, changes in the amount of rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep increase as the dementia increases in severity. Sleep can also be disrupted in individuals with dementia because of primary sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, advanced sleep phase syndrome, and restless legs. Other factors that contribute to disrupted sleep in individuals with dementia include age, acute and chronic illness, mood disorders, and medication use.