sundowning
nounEtymology From sundown + -ing.
1
Human sciences, Medicine, Psychiatry, Psychology, Sciences A state of agitation, confusion, or delirium, especially in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, which begins each evening and which is alleviated by daylight.
- Impaired judgment and sundowning (increased confusion when orienting cues diminish at night) often makes it necessary to restrict and protect the delirious patient.1986, Norma Sullivan, Barry Fogel, “Could This Be Delirium?”, in The American Journal of Nursing, volume 86, number 12, page 1363:
- Polysomnography and othersleep measures show sleep fragmentation with shortening of N3 sleep togetherwith excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and sundowning as the main findings in AD patients.2023 April 23, Abhijit Satpati, Thomas Neylan, Lea T. Grinberg, “Histaminergic neurotransmission in aging and Alzheimer's disease: A review of therapeutic opportunities and gaps”, in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, volume 9, number 2, Wiley, →DOI, →ISSN:
- Related terms
- sundowner