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It’s been many months since my husband has had sundowners and is up in the middle of the night doing mindless things. I just recently added Seroquel and it seemed to help for three days and now he’s back back to getting up. I can’t get any sleep myself and I’m exhausted and full of aches and pains. I don’t know what to do to get the sleep. I need to keep caring for him.

Magnesium glycinate, 400 mg, give it to him at the end of dinner.

Make sure to use the glycinate version to prevent loose stools.

This also will reduce anxiety during the day.

This was miraculous with Mom. We used this for probably 15 years.

This was the most effective OTC supplement or prescription med during her 18-20 year journey with Alzheimers.
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Reply to brandee
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Sundiwning sleep walking wandering restlessness is normal for dementia/ Alzheimer’s so get some help from professional memory care maybe care home or in-house supportive care 24/7 or the hours need to sleep. Screen the best candidates who will care kindly communicate honestly bursting daily changes with sleep meds from primary care. It’s valuable for your sanity health wellbeing to know that you are not alone.

blessings to you. If you need help in Arizona metro Phoenix east valley reach out I know many agencies and private caregivers to help .
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Reply to NurseSam
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Consult with your pcp internist or elderly care practitioner who could diagnose and maybe prescribe sleeping meds to settle him down. I know it’s hard on you worry and caregiving for your husband is difficult. Also eeek respite caregiving through insurance to get reprieve take care of yourself. It’s not selfish to be healthy for your life. Be mindful of your own life as he’s a husband who needs outside support for your mental physical emotional needs as a full-time caregiver. Please get supportive care.
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I would agree with the things suggested in this forum. He should be in memory care. There may be some adult day cares you could take him to if he’s not too difficult during the day. No one person can take care of him 24/7. I know how exhausting it is. I got my Dad an apron with lots of pockets and different little things to put in each pocket. He always liked pens. I also got him a brass horse statute. He would shine it all day. Maybe get some key locks for the doors, and some ring cameras for inside. Try to keep the floors and pathways clean to avoid trips and falls. Lock your bedroom door if he sleeps in another room.. Remove or lock up all weapons and sharp objects. There are also some rubber mats with alarms you can put near the doors if he tries to leave. Make sure your husband keeps his disposable undergarments on-if you can. He may start urinating all over the house. When he gets real bad, get a twin hospital bed with sides that go up so he can’t get out of bed. Or, get an electrical bed that goes so low to the ground that he can’t get up. If you go with hospice, they can provide one. His seroquel will need increasing. He may need additional medication added to it to help with sleep. Hospice is very good with managing his medication. Unfortunately, he will only get worse and managing his care will be non-stop. You should not risk your health. Eventually, his sundowning will get earlier and earlier. He may have extreme emotions and be angry with hollering and/or have crying periods. It’s so difficult. If you ever do not feel safe, call 911 and have him taken to the hospital for an evaluation. They will help with his medication. All the best. Take of yourself.
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Reply to DianaGearhart
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You need to consider memory care.
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I am not sure if it always works, but Harvard Med. articles insist that getting sunshine early in the AM helps to regulate the circadian rhythm. Then to have it as dark as possible at night for sleeping. The tv gives off a blue light that stimulates awareness.
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Reply to Tiger8
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My client/Freind took a gaba supplement. It was from a high end supplement brand I wish I could remember. I will go look at supplements to see what rings a bell but he slept like a baby. This is after many sleep meds did not work.
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Reply to BamaBreeze
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EmilySue May 25, 2026
The gaba supplement also helped my husband. It helped his restless leg, too. When I chanced to run out of it, he could within a couple of days.
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I wish I had an answer I’m having the same problem with my father… We haven’t tried the Seroquel yet because his insurance wanted us to pay $400…….
there has to be something!!! My heart goes out to you
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Reply to AllyGit
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When you are less exhausted, consider keeping him more mentally active during the day: limit his ability to nap; have do tasks he is able to like folding large quantities of hand towels, pairing socks, sorting nuts and bolts, etc.

Or, can you hire an in-home companion aid to keep him occupied during the day so that you can have some peace and normalcy?

I too thought he had been in MC...?

More information would be helpful.
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Reply to Geaton777
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My husband gets Seroquel plus melatonin for sleep at his memory care facility. It works well, and he was a tough case. Ask husband's doctor for the dosage that would be right for him.
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Reply to Fawnby
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My dad had insomnia for 25 years and eventually, FTD. A combination of Seroquel and Trazodone helped him tremendously. Talk to his doctor. He needs a larger dose.
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Reply to Suzy23
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1000 mg of magnesium works wonders; makes a person's blood vessels relax and helps get a person relaxed, too. Give it to him an hour before bed. Also, 5,000 mg vitamin D every morning--only in the morning-- or an hour of sunlight outdoors everyday to help him make melatonin (hormone that controls sleep/wake cycle.)
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Reply to Kailyn
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Have you considered memory care?
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Reply to JustAnon
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ljkljk, you wrote a couple months ago that you had moved your husband to Memory Care. Did that not work out?
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Reply to MG8522
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I had the same trouble with my husband until a pharmacist suggested I try Trazodone. A small dose given at bedtime helped him to relax, physically, and to sleep. Now I use Trazodone and Depakote at bedtime.

I also moved out of the bedroom I shared with him. I keep the tv on at night for him, and I have been sleeping in the spare bedroom full time.

Another suggestion I can offer for dealing with sundowning, and agitation in general, is to keep a consistent daily routine. A time to get up, a time to have a snack, a time to wash, a time to watch a favorite TV show or go out for a walk, whatever he enjoys doing with his time. Keep it simple, and keep it the same every day. Try to avoid lots of unexpected interactions with friends, or impulsive outings.
I also went around and started closing all the drapes before the sun goes down, and turn on the lights in every room of the house. That helped to "fool" him into not recognizing that is is evening. I think sometimes the evening and the darkness and dark shadows down the hallway create a sense of fear.

Once you both get into a regular daily routine, (it could take a while) he should start going to sleep at bedtime. I also play a tv show that signals it is bedtime.
He'll have a favorite which I play every night at bedtime, and that lasts about a year before he gets tired of it, and we find a new favorite. For a while it was Antiques Roadshow, back to back episodes, streaming. Now it's Monster Trucks. There is a channel on Pluto TV that plays Monster Jam events 24 hours a day! LOL.
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