Daytime Naps, Improved Memory, Alzheimer’s & Caregivers
February 5, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Reading an article at Everyday Health about the possibility of daytime naps improving memory and recall of facts, reminded me of trying to keep Mother from too many naps, especially close to bedtime, when she lived with us. Napping seemed to increase her nighttime wandering….and didn’t improve her memory.
Because I wasn’t able to nap when Mother did, I then was kept awake with her nightly activities as she decided to explore the house, try the door to the outside, empty the refrigerator so her cat could have a feast, clean the cupboards, or get dressed and groomed, then call “When are we going?” if I weren’t out of bed. (Going where, I wasn’t sure, but she definitely had an agenda.)
Incidentally, the article clarifies:
A 45-minute midday nap can help boost your memory and remember facts, but only if you learned them well in the first place, a new study suggests.
So it doesn’t specifically deal with Alzheimer’s but perhaps is something I should keep in mind as I go about my busy days even though Mother is no longer with us. Since I often have to keep going on little sleep, I’ve discovered that a 20-minute nap can refresh me and enable me to accomplish more. (Now I don’t have to feel guilty about napping anymore!)
If you, as a caregiver, can nap when your Alzheimer’s patient is taking one or someone else is watching him/her, you may find you have more endurance to face the frustrations and stress of being a caregiver.
Do you nap?
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
