Delusion after napping

[Eightytwenty]

My mother is awaiting diagnosis. In the last month we have had a number of incidents when she’s become very confused. We think each one has followed a day time nap. Each time she’s been convinced my bother or I are in the house - then, when she can’t find us, she sends us messages to see where we are. Suspect she’s been dreaming and can’t separate the dream from reality.

The Dr seems to think that this is quite common.

Anyone experience of this? Or suggestions?

I have experience but no suggestions. I found the resulting phone calls to be very upsetting, mum was distressed because she'd lost the dog or couldn't find the children she'd been looking after (there was no dog, no children). Within an hour or two she'd forgotten all about it whereas I was upset by it all night. My first question when the phone rang about 4pm was always "have you just woken up?". It was very real for her, the situation was always that she had responsibility for someone/something and then suddenly (when she woke up) she was alone with no idea where her charge had gone.

I’m sorry you’ve had a similar experience. It’s always about where my brother and I have got to. And about the same time of day. Blurring of dreams and reality.

We had similar experiences with my dad before and after his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s. He would doze off having been “ok”, then wake up panicking or shouting. If we were there we would explain he’d just been sleeping and try and keep him calm while he came round. Other times if we hadn’t been with him he would phone us in a panic, often very distressed. The situation he thought he was in wasn’t real - ie he was at a pub miles away and had called the police to take him home as he was lost. When actually he’d never left his armchair.

I’m sorry that I don’t have any practical things to offer but just wanted to share our experience. Dad found it very upsetting and was often aware of the “dream” or the feeling of unease it left him with, we also found it worrying and very sad. He discussed with with both the GP and memory clinic who dismissed it as part of his dementia.

I don't have dementia (and I would know!) and I had those kind of dream reality blends for quite a while after my husband died. It was always a similar scenario....an important task I hadn't done, a loved person or pet lost. I would wake and still believe that the dream was real but for no more than a minute at most. I think that the phenomenon is common and probabaly stress related, the difference is that it might take someone with dementia longer to realise (or accept when someone tells them) that it was a dream. I understand the reaction, its a horrible experience.

My DM used to have very upsetting delusions. I don't think they were related to sleep though. Medication helped a lot, but it look a while to find the right dose and type.

I'm sorry you and your mum are going through this.

@godmum56 I’m sorry you’ve experienced similar. I remember the sleep after my father died as being a respite followed by a daily trauma on wakening.

There does seem to be a bit of a trigger around stress / tiredness. I’d put that down to her having a nap as a result but perhaps it’s more complex.