Short answer: Sleeping more is common as dementia progresses, and in the later stages a person may sleep 14 to 15 hours a day. If the change is gradual and the person seems comfortable, it is usually part of the illness. A sudden change is different: sleeping all day that starts over a few days, especially with confusion, fever or not eating, can signal an infection, a medicine side effect or delirium, and needs a doctor promptly.
Why people with dementia sleep so much
- The illness itself. Dementia damages the brain’s body clock, and simple tasks take great effort, so the person tires quickly.
- Poor night sleep. Waking, wandering or sundowning at night leads to dozing all day, which then makes the next night worse. Over time this can become full day-night reversal.
- Medicines. Sleeping pills, some antidepressants, antipsychotics, pain medicines and allergy medicines can all cause daytime drowsiness.
- Too little to do. Long, quiet days with little light or activity encourage dozing.
- Other health problems: sleep apnea, low mood, infection, dehydration, low thyroid or anemia.
- The late stage. In advanced dementia, sleeping most of the day becomes part of the natural course.
What’s normal, and when to worry
| Usually part of the illness | Call the doctor |
|---|---|
| Sleep has increased slowly over months | Sleepiness came on over days |
| Wakes easily and is their usual self when awake | Hard to wake, or more confused when awake |
| Still eats and drinks when offered | Stopped eating or drinking |
| Appears comfortable and calm | Fever, pain, cough, new incontinence, or a recent medicine change |
Sudden sleepiness with confusion is a classic sign of the “quiet” form of delirium, which is easy to miss. Our guide to delirium vs dementia explains it.
Dementia sleeping all day and not eating
When sleeping more comes together with eating and drinking much less, it may be a sign that dementia has reached its final stage. It can also be caused by something treatable, such as an infection, constipation, mouth pain, depression or a medicine. Ask the doctor to look for a cause first. If it is the end stage, a hospice team can focus on comfort and support the family; our guide to the stages of dementia describes what to expect.
Should you let a person with dementia sleep all day?
In the later stages, rest is often what the body needs, and waking a comfortable person to keep them busy does not help. In the earlier and middle stages, though, long daytime sleep usually steals from the night. A gentle daytime routine helps both:
- Morning light: open curtains early, or sit by a sunny window or outdoors after breakfast.
- Same wake-up and meal times every day.
- Short naps only, early in the afternoon, in a chair rather than in bed.
- Something to do: a short walk, folding laundry, music, a visitor or an adult day program.
- A medicine review for anything that causes drowsiness, and a check for sleep apnea if they snore.
- A calm evening and a steady bedtime, so the night is for sleep. Our guide to dementia sleep problems covers the nights.
A daily routine families can add
Brain Vitality is a sealed fabric pouch of dry herbs, worn externally at the navel and held by a reusable belt, with nothing to swallow. In one family’s six-month record, a husband described changes in his wife’s sleep and daytime alertness during pouch use. This is a selected, uncontrolled observation, and the evidence overview explains its limits. Use it alongside the daytime routine above and the person’s medical care.
Questions about dementia and sleeping a lot
How many hours a day do people with dementia sleep?
It varies. In the later stages, 14 to 15 hours a day or more is common, though much of that sleep is light and broken.
Does vascular dementia cause sleeping all day?
It can. Vascular dementia often changes in steps after small strokes, so a sudden increase in sleepiness should be checked for a new stroke as well as infection or medicine effects.
Is sleeping all day a sign of the end of life?
In late-stage dementia, sleeping most of the time together with eating and drinking very little often signals the end of life. Earlier in the illness it more often has another cause. The doctor can help tell the difference.
Sources
Alzheimer’s Society: Is it typical for people with dementia to sleep a lot? · National Institute on Aging: Sleep and sundowning tips · Alzheimer’s Association: Stages of Alzheimer’s
About the author
Qingcai Wang, MD, PhD, invented the external herbal pouch and has practiced it exclusively since 2015, so that more people can accept Chinese herbal medicine without drinking bitter herbal decoctions. His formulations draw on the classics Shang Han Lun, Jin Gui Yao Lue and Shennong Ben Cao Jing. He previously spent more than 20 years in biomedical and cancer research. He founded Five Essences, which sells the pouches
General education; ask the person’s own doctor about their care.