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Sundowning Traits and How to Manage Them

Spending the early evening with a loved one who has dementia can reveal changes in their mood and behavior, a phenomenon known as sundowning, which affects one in five people with dementia.


What is Sundowning?


Sundowning describes a period of behavioral changes in individuals with dementia, commonly linked to Alzheimer's but also present in vascular, Lewy-body, and frontotemporal dementia. During late afternoon or early evening, many people with dementia may show increased anxiety, agitation, or anger. Understanding the symptoms and causes of sundowning can help you manage these challenges.


A clock showing 4 pm, symbolizing the start of sundowning symptoms in dementia patients.

Reasons Behind Sundowning

While the exact causes of sundowning are unclear, several triggers can contribute to this behavior:


  • Daylight Savings: Changing clocks can disrupt routines, leading to altered sleep patterns.

  • Past Routines: Late afternoon is often a busy time in past routines, such as picking up children or preparing dinner. The absence of these activities can cause anxiety.

  • Feeling Disoriented: As evening approaches, not recognizing their surroundings can distress individuals, prompting a desire to "go home."

  • Medication Effects: Pain relief medication may wear off by late afternoon, causing discomfort.

  • Shadows: Evening shadows can cause hallucinations or fear.


Tips to Prevent Sundowning

Dementia experts offer several strategies to manage sundowning:


  • Lighting: Keep the home well-lit in the evening or have them sit by a window for natural sunlight, reducing hallucinations and helping reset their internal clock.

  • Engage in Meaningful Activities: Encourage late afternoon activities that mimic past routines to avoid restlessness.

  • Assess Other Factors: Determine if other issues, like communication difficulties or pain, contribute to their behavior.


Managing Sundowning in the Moment


When sundowning occurs, these techniques can help:


  • Gentle Reassurance: Speak in a soothing voice and try to reassure them. If this doesn’t work, suggest a distracting activity.

  • Distraction Techniques: Move to another room, make a drink, take a short walk, or prepare dinner together to help them feel productive.

  • Listen and Comfort: Listen carefully to identify the source of their anxiety. A light touch or simply sitting close with a hand on theirs can provide comfort.


For information about how AmoryCare can help with Sundowning care at home please contact us:


Phone: 908-854-3220

Fax: 908-854-3221


Service Areas:


Union County, NJ: Berkeley Heights, Summit, Linden, Scotch Plains, Westfield, Murray Hill, Plainfield, Mountainside, Garwood, Clark, New Providence, Elizabeth, Roselle Park, Winfield, Kenilworth, Vauxhall, Cranford, Springfield, Union, Fanwood.


Morris County, NJ: Bernardsville, Boonton, Brookside, Budd Lake, Butler, Califon, Cedar Knolls, Chatham, Chester, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Far Hills, Flanders, Florham Park, Gillette, Greenvillage, Hibernia, Ironia, Kenvil, Lake Hopatcong, Landing, Ledgewood, Lincoln Park, Long Valley, Madison, Mendham, Millington, Montville, Morris Plains, Morristown, Mt. Arlington, Mt. Freedom, Mt. Tabor, Mountain Lakes, Netcong, New Vernon, Newfoundland, Oak Ridge, Parsippany, Pequannock, Picatinny Arsenal, Pine Brook, Pompton Plains, Port Murray, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway, Schooley’s Mountain, Stirling, Succasunna, Towaco, Wharton, Whippany.


Essex County, NJ: Livingston, Roseland, Essex Fells, West Orange, South Orange, Short Hills, Millburn, Maplewood, Montclair, Verona, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Belleville, Nutley, West Caldwell, Fairfield, Irvington, Newark, East Orange.


Bergen County, NJ: Allendale, Alpine, Bergenfield, Bogota, Carlstadt, Cliffside Park, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, East Rutherford, Edgewater, Elmwood Park, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fair Lawn, Fairview, Fort Lee, Franklin Lakes, Garfield, Glen Rock, Hackensack (county seat), Harrington Park, Hasbrouck Heights, Haworth, Hillsdale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Leonia, Little Ferry, Lodi, Lyndhurst, Mahwah, Maywood, Midland Park, Montvale, Moonachie, New Milford, North Arlington, Northvale, Norwood, Oakland, Old Tappan, Oradell, Palisades Park, Paramus, Park Ridge, Ramsey, Ridgefield, Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood, River Edge, River Vale, Rochelle Park, Rockleigh, Rutherford, Saddle Brook, Saddle River, South Hackensack, Teaneck, Tenafly, Teterboro, Upper Saddle River, Waldwick, Wallington, Washington Township, Westwood, Wood-Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, and Wyckoff.


Passaic County, NJ: Bloomingdale, Clifton, Haledon, Hawthorne, Little Falls, North Haledon, Passaic, Paterson, Pompton Lakes, Prospect Park, Ringwood, Totowa, Wanaque, Wayne, West Milford, Woodland Park.

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