Like every autumn, we Spaniards will have to face a new time change this October. Specifically, in the early hours of Saturday the 28th to Sunday the 29th, the clocks will be turned back one hour, so that at 3:00 a.m. it will be 2:00 a.m. Although on paper that night we will gain an hour of sleep, the truth is that the time change brings with it a series of effects on the body that are worse in the case of older people.
To begin with, the time change alters the established routines of older people, which are essential for their well-being. This modification of the clock hands and the hours of sunshine hinders biorhythms and sleep cycles, taking into account that it is common in the elderly to face sleep disorders. Likewise, it can have repercussions on the nervous and digestive systems, resulting in feelings of tiredness, fatigue, irritability, headaches or concentration problems. It can even worsen sundown syndrome, anxiety, disorientation and confusion, especially in people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, as reported by the Pasqual Maragall Foundation.
In this regard, from the aforementioned foundation – dedicated to scientific research into Alzheimer’s – they share on their blog a series of tips to counteract the effect of time change on the sleep and well-being of older people, with and without dementia or Alzheimer’s.
