I was watching a BBC production on the Science Channel about our internal clocks. One of the scientists did a small experiment in a British nursing home to compare the results of the usual dementia drugs to increasing the light in the areas of the nursing homes where dementia patients spent their days. Now, since these were patients in a nursing home, they had to be at least in the severe stage, although he didn't say so. And what he discovered was if he increased light levels the patients improved. Improvement in cognitive skills, but also improvements in daily living. He specifically mentioned patients who improved in being able to feed themselves and button their own buttons. He said that the improvements were identical to improvements received by giving the standard drugs.
He also said there were improvements in sleep patterns. They tried the light therapy originally because they hoped that they could help the patients sleep more than 15 minutes at a time, and it worked. He didn't actually say so, but I think he also was beating around the bush about actual sundowning. He did not use that term, but what he was describing sounded like an improvement in sundowning.
I know my husband has a tendency to sit in a semi-darkened room. Not any more. This one is easy and safe. Basically it can't hurt and it might help.
Starling, I really believe the more light the better my DH is. In the winter time particularly, I keep lots of lights on throughout the house. His mood appears to be better than when it is dark and gloomy.
Same here! I keep as many lights on as I can and DH doesn't seem to get antsy. He does as soon as it is dark outside. The hospital he was in suggested we keep his room lighted when he was having such a problem with sundowning after his hip surgery.
Oh, I agree. I have to light the way every morning for him coming down to breakfast, and at night he often has the light on all night. And now he loves to go out in sunlight, when he never did before.
My Dh wants to close all the drapes at 4 pm. no matter what season. I don't confront, but if he's resting I leave them open. I tell him I won't live in a cave.
My DH also went thru a phase where he closed the blinds in the early evening or even in the afternoon. He'd close, I'd open, he'd close......nearly drove me crazy and felt very claustropobic. Thankfully he got beyond that stage and now doesn't bother the blinds, but I do shut them at dark and turn on all the lights. The lights all being on also used to upset him, but we're okay on that one now too.