Daytime Sleep: Why Mom Wants To Snooze All Day

Sleep deprivation is a common issue for mothers, especially those with newborns. A survey of 2,000 American mothers found that 43% said that a night of uninterrupted sleep would be the best gift they could receive for Mother's Day. On average, mothers of newborns only get about four hours of sleep per night and have to get up four times on average to tend to their child. Sleep deprivation can lead to mood changes and an increased risk of postpartum depression. It can also be dangerous, with drowsy driving responsible for an estimated 100,000 crashes each year in the US.

Could it be a sign of depression?

Depression and sleep are closely linked, and a majority of people with depression experience sleep issues. Sleep issues and depression have a bidirectional relationship, meaning that poor sleep can contribute to the development of depression, and having depression makes a person more likely to experience sleep troubles.

Depression is marked by persistent bouts of sadness, disappointment, and hopelessness, as well as other emotional, mental, and physical changes that lead to difficulties with daily activities. Symptoms may include a persistent sad, low, or irritable mood, feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt, a loss of interest or pleasure in activities, decreased energy and fatigue, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, waking up too early, or oversleeping, low appetite or overeating, and thoughts of death or suicide.

If your mother is isolated and has few friends or other visitors, depression may be to blame for her sleep changes. Depression is also common in seniors with chronic illnesses or disabilities. If your mother is taking prescription medication, check the side effects to see if insomnia or hypersomnia is listed as a side effect.

If there is a possibility that your mother is depressed, talk to her doctor and arrange for caregivers to provide her with companionship. Counselling, medication, and brain stimulation therapies are all treatment options for depression. Treating sleep problems can also help alleviate depressive symptoms.

If your mother has been feeling low for more than two weeks, it may be time to speak to a professional. However, if she is having thoughts of death or suicide, seek immediate professional help.

Could it be related to medication?

If your mother is taking any prescription medication, it is worth checking the side effects to see if insomnia or drowsiness is listed. Some medications can cause insomnia, while others can make people feel excessively sleepy. Sleeping pills, for example, are intended to improve sleep and help people fall asleep faster, but they can have side effects such as excessive drowsiness, problems with concentration, and sometimes allergic reactions. They are also not recommended for long-term use.

Medications that can cause insomnia include those for high blood pressure, cholesterol, beta-blockers, antihistamines, antidepressants, and Alzheimer's. If your mother is taking any of these, it could be worth consulting a doctor to discuss the side effects and whether the dosage needs adjusting.

It is also worth noting that some over-the-counter medications can cause drowsiness, such as antihistamines, which are often used to treat allergies. While these can help with sleep in the short term, their effectiveness wears off over time, and they are not a long-term solution.

If your mother is taking any medication, it is important to ensure that she is taking it correctly and following the instructions provided by her doctor or pharmacist. It is also a good idea to review her medication list with a healthcare professional to ensure that there are no interactions between different medications that could be causing excessive sleepiness.

Additionally, certain medications should not be combined with alcohol, as this can lead to excessive drowsiness and even death in some cases. Thus, if your mother consumes alcohol, it is crucial to check for potential interactions with her medication.

In summary, medication can definitely play a role in your mother's increased sleepiness. It is important to review her medication list with a healthcare professional and ensure that she is taking her medication correctly. If insomnia or drowsiness is a listed side effect, discuss alternative options or dosage adjustments with her doctor.

Could it be a sign of dementia?

Excessive sleepiness and changes in sleep patterns are common symptoms of dementia, especially in the later stages of the disease. If your mom is sleeping all day, it could be a sign that she is living with dementia.

People with dementia often spend a lot of their time sleeping, both during the day and at night. This can be distressing for family members and caregivers, who may worry that something is wrong. However, sleeping more and more is a common feature of later-stage dementia. As the disease progresses and the damage to a person's brain becomes more extensive, they may find even simple tasks exhausting, leading to increased sleep during the day.

Additionally, people with dementia may experience disruptions to their sleep patterns, such as sleeping during the day and being awake at night, disorientation when waking up in the dark, and difficulty distinguishing between night and day. These disruptions can further contribute to daytime sleepiness.

If your mom is in the later stages of dementia and has gradually started sleeping more, it is likely due to the progression of the disease. However, if the excessive sleeping has started suddenly or is accompanied by other changes in her health, it may be caused by something else.

It is important to note that disordered sleep is a common side effect of dementia, and it can be challenging to determine the exact cause of sleep disturbances. In some cases, excessive sleeping may be related to medications, underlying health conditions, or sleep disorders such as apnea. Therefore, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional to rule out any other potential causes and ensure that your mom is receiving appropriate care and support.

Could it be a natural part of ageing?

As people age, their sleep patterns change. Older adults may experience changes in the quality and duration of their sleep due to changes in the body's internal clock. Circadian rhythms, or 24-hour daily cycles, are controlled by the body's internal clock, which is located in the hypothalamus part of the brain. As people get older, their sleep changes due to the effects of an ageing internal clock, which can disrupt circadian rhythms and directly influence when people feel tired and alert.

Older adults may find it harder to fall into a deep sleep, so they wake up multiple times each night. They may also experience a shift in their sleep schedule, getting tired earlier in the afternoon and waking up earlier in the morning. This shift is called a phase advance. Additionally, older adults spend more time in the earlier, lighter stages of sleep and less time in the later, deeper stages, leading to more frequent waking up during the night and more fragmented, less restful sleep.

Changes in hormone production may also contribute to disrupted sleep in older adults. As people age, the body secretes less melatonin, which is produced in response to darkness and helps promote sleep by coordinating circadian rhythms.

While ageing can be a factor in increased sleepiness, it is important to consider other potential causes as well. For example, certain medications can cause insomnia or drowsiness as a side effect. Additionally, underlying health conditions such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or depression can also lead to excessive sleepiness. If you are concerned about your mother's sleep patterns, it may be helpful to consult with a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying causes and ensure her overall well-being.

Could it be related to diet?

It is common to feel sleepy after eating, and this is known as postprandial somnolence. This can be influenced by the type and amount of food eaten. For example, high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods have been found to increase perceived drowsiness after eating. Meals that are high in fat and those that mostly consist of carbohydrates have been associated with more sleepiness after eating.

The time of day that you eat can also have an impact. For example, if you eat lunch in the early afternoon, your mealtime will coincide with a natural rise in your desire to sleep and a dip in the circadian signals that support wakefulness. This is known as the 'post-lunch dip'.

The size of the meal can also be a factor, with larger meals leading to more sleepiness. One study found that when truck drivers ate smaller meals, they were less tired during the day.

In addition, some foods contain the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin, which can also make you want to nap after a meal. Foods that are high in melatonin include eggs, pistachios, and tart cherries.

If your mom is experiencing sleepiness after eating, she may want to try the following:

• Eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day
• Eating a well-balanced meal
• Avoiding alcohol with meals
• Getting a good night's sleep
• Making time for regular physical activity

If your mom is continually tired after eating and it is affecting her quality of life, she should speak with a doctor to rule out any underlying health conditions that may be contributing to her fatigue.

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