Sundowners: Walking Through the Evening Hours

Author

Debbie Gilley

Created

December 7, 2025December 7, 2025

Updated

December 7, 2025December 7, 2025

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3 min

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169

Categories: Alzheimer's Awareness

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s is a journey filled with moments of deep connection, tender memories, and unexpected challenges. One of the most misunderstood of those challenges is Sundowning—a shift in mood, behavior, and sense of security that often occurs in the late afternoon and evening. [1]

For many families, this time of day becomes a turning point. Emotions run higher, confusion grows stronger, and the familiar becomes unfamiliar. Yet behind all of this is a meaningful truth: Sundowning is not the person—it’s the condition. And the more we understand it, the more compassion we can offer to those experiencing it and to the caregivers supporting them.

What Is Sundowning?

Sundowning, or “late-day confusion,” refers to a pattern of increased agitation, confusion, anxiety, or restlessness that appears in the later part of the day for some individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia. [1][2][3]

While the exact cause isn’t fully understood, contributing factors may include:

Fatigue from the day [1]
Changes in lighting or shadows [1][2]
Overstimulation [2]
Difficulty processing sensory input [2]
Disrupted sleep cycles [2]
Hormonal shifts that affect internal clocks [1]

For the person experiencing it, the world can suddenly feel overwhelming or unsafe. For caregivers, it can be a time of heightened vigilance and emotional resilience.

What Sundowning Feels Like for a Caregiver

As the afternoon begins to fade, you may notice a familiar shift—the restlessness, the repeated questions, the sense of uncertainty in your loved one’s eyes. This is the beginning of Sundowning. [1]

Someone calm earlier may suddenly pace, express fear, or become suspicious. Simple tasks feel impossible. Their world tilts, and you do everything you can to steady it for them.

You might hear:
“I need to go home.”
“Where’s my family?”
“I don’t feel safe.”

These behaviors—confusion, pacing, distress, agitation—are commonly reported symptoms of Sundowning in dementia. [1][2][4]

As evening light softens and shadows lengthen, the environment becomes harder for them to interpret. A familiar room may look strange. Noise feels louder. Even your reassurances sometimes fall flat, because fear has taken up too much space.

And as the night settles in, the storm usually quiets. They may grow calmer, their fear easing with rest. [1]

How Caregivers Can Help Ease Sundowning

While there’s no way to eliminate Sundowning completely, certain strategies can help reduce its intensity. These suggestions reflect what dementia specialists commonly recommend [1][2][4]:

1. Keep a Consistent Routine

Predictability provides comfort.

2. Watch for Triggers

Noise, overstimulation, clutter, or certain TV content may worsen symptoms.

3. Reduce Evening Stimuli

Lower lights gradually, choose calming music, and limit noise.

4. Offer Comfort and Reassurance

A calm presence can reduce fear and confusion.

5. Encourage Daytime Activity

Movement and exposure to daylight can help regulate sleep.

6. Stay Compassionate Toward Yourself

Caregiving through Sundowning is emotionally exhausting. Support matters.

Why Awareness Matters

Sundowning affects not only individuals with Alzheimer’s but also the families and caregivers who walk beside them. Awareness fosters compassion and helps others understand that these behaviors are symptoms—not choices. [1][2]

The more we talk about Sundowning, the less alone caregivers feel.

A Final Word to Caregivers

If you’re caring for someone who experiences Sundowning, please know this:
You are doing an extraordinary job.
Your patience and love make a difference, even when it feels unseen.
You are the steady place in someone’s world when everything else feels uncertain.