It is not a diagnosis but a description of timing. As the day goes on, a person with dementia may become restless, suspicious, tearful or determined to leave the house, and the same person may be settled again by morning. It is common in the middle stages of Alzheimer's disease and can appear in other dementias too.
Fatigue, fading light, disrupted sleep and an overstimulating afternoon all seem to make it worse. Families often describe the first sign as a change in mood at a fixed time each day.
Why it matters
Knowing the pattern lets you plan the hardest hours: lower lighting changes, a quieter afternoon, and a caregiver present when it usually starts.
Further reading: National Institute on Aging
Sundowning where you live
The local guide on this, for each city we cover.
- Baltimore, MD
- Boston, MA
- Buffalo, NY
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Houston, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Memphis, TN
- Milwaukee, WI
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Tucson, AZ