March 7, 2025
In spring and fall, most areas of the United States experience a time change. “Springing forward” and “falling back” refer to the official time moving forward or backward one hour. This move is designed to conserve energy and make better use of natural daylight all throughout the year. Many people experience significant effects from time changes, however, including people who have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s care providers can help families deal with the impacts seniors with Alzheimer’s might feel.
Even though the time adjustment seems small, only an hour either way, the time change can be very stressful. For seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, this added stress piles onto the anxiety they may already experience. That increase in stress makes cognitive challenges more difficult to manage. Home care providers can help seniors with Alzheimer’s cope with the stress the time change brings.
Humans have a circadian rhythm, or an internal clock that regulates sleep-wake cycles. This internal clock also controls a variety of systems in the body, including hormone productions. Even small changes to the circadian rhythm can create havoc with these physiological processes, causing people to feel off in general.
Disruptions to hormone levels, circadian rhythms, and stress levels can all lead to sleep problems. When seniors with Alzheimer’s disease don’t get enough sleep, they tend to experience worse Alzheimer’s symptoms during the day. Confusion, agitation, and trouble with cognitive functioning are just a few of the issues. Alzheimer’s care providers can help seniors to get back on track with their sleep issues and also offer support overnight when seniors have trouble sleeping.
Problems sleeping, disrupted hormones, and trouble maintaining a circadian rhythm can all lead to bigger health issues for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease. Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease might feel worse than usual or even find themselves getting sick more often. Chronic health issues like high blood pressure or diabetes may be more difficult to keep under control, too. Having help managing how they’re coping with time changes reduces the impact on chronic health conditions for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease.
When the time changes go into effect, the amount of exposure to natural light that seniors with Alzheimer’s disease receive changes. They may suddenly receive more or less exposure to natural light. This can lead back to difficulty with sleep and affect circadian rhythms, as well. Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease may not be able to understand why they’re experiencing these changes, depending on what stage of Alzheimer’s they’re in. Alzheimer’s care providers can help seniors develop routines that help them adjust to the changes they experience when natural light increases or decreases dramatically.
So many different small aspects of life can have big impacts on life for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease. When it comes to navigating time changes, having the support of Alzheimer’s care providers who understand why it’s difficult can help so much. Minimizing the impact of time changes with the right support can be soothing for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, improving quality of life.
