HealthBeat This month’s feature topics are
Senior Living/ Alzheimers & Yoga
HealthBeat September: Senior Living/Alzheimer’s & Yoga
How to help loved ones handle sundowning
A
diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can catch families off guard. When such a diagnosis is made, patients and their families typically have a host of questions, including how far the disease has progressed and what to expect as it advances. One potential side effect of Alzheimer’s disease that can catch families off guard is sundowning. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) notes that sundowning refers to the restlessness, agitation, irritability, or confusion that can begin or worsen as daylight begins to fade. Sundowning is difficult for Alzheimer’s sufferers, but also can be especially hard on their caregivers. As day turns to night, people serving as caregivers to Alzheimer’s patients tend to wear down, only to suddenly realize that the people they’re caring for are becoming increasingly difficult to handle. The NIA notes that sundowning can continue well into the night, compromising patients’ ability to fall asleep and stay in bed. Sundowning will not affect every Alzheimer’s patient, but caregivers should prepare themselves to handle such a situation should it arise. Learning more about sundowning can be part of that preparation.
Why does sundowning occur?
The exact cause of sundowning, which is sometimes referred to as “late-day confusion,” is unknown. However, the Mayo Clinic notes that certain factors may aggravate the feelings of confusion felt by Alzheimer’s patients who experience sundowning. Those factors include: • fatigue • low lighting • increased shadows • disruption of the body’s internal clock • the presence of an infection, such as a urinary tract infection The NIA notes that one theory suggests Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain can disrupt a person’s internal clock, con-
fusing their sleep-wake cycles as a result. That can confuse Alzheimer’s patients and contribute to the feelings of agitation and irritability that are common among people who experience sundowning.
What can be done to combat sundowning?
The NIA recommends looking for signs of sundowning in late afternoon and early evening and trying to determine what might be causing these behaviors. Try to avoid anything that appears to trigger these behaviors, if possible. Reducing noise, clutter or the number of people in the room when sundowning symptoms typically appear may help reduce the confusion Alzheimer’s patients feel during this time of the day. In addition, scheduling a favorite activity or providing a favorite snack at this time of day can give Alzheimer’s patients something to focus on, potentially cutting off the confusion before it surfaces. The NIA also recommends making early evening a quiet time of day reserved for playing soothing music, reading or going for a walk. Caregivers who also have children to look after can explain the importance of this quiet time to youngsters and ask for their cooperation. Closing curtains or blinds and turning on the lights at dusk can minimize shadows in the house, potentially making this time of day less confusing for Alzheimer’s sufferers. Sundowning is a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease that can be difficult for caregivers to manage. More information about sundowning is available at www.nia.nih.gov.
HealthBeat is an excellent
opportunity for you to reach a health-conscious audience of readers. Next Month’s Topics: Chiropractic & Dental Health
To advertise your business, contact your advertising representative.
Spearfish: 642.2761 • Sturgis/Rapid City: 641.8636
HealthBeat September: Senior Living/Alzheimer’s & Yoga
Picking a Yoga Studio
Y
oga is becoming one of America’s most popular exercise trends. The ancient art of meditative stretching is one of the healthiest things a person can do for the body. Unfortunately, many people are intimidated by yoga. Often, you’ll hear people say they aren’t “flexible enough” to practice yoga. But that’s the entire point of yoga—to increase the body’s flexibility! Whether you’re just starting to explore the benefits of yoga or you’re an experienced practitioner who wants to expand your horizons, here are some tips for picking a yoga studio.
The style
While the roots of yoga go back thousands of
years, today there are a wide variety of styles in use. The first step in picking the right studio is knowing the style of yoga they host and whether it fits your desires. For example, some types of yoga flow smoothly from one pose to the next. Others hold still in the same pose for several breaths or even longer. Still other kinds of yoga use accessories such as blankets, straps or blocks to add extra variety and interest to the poses. It’s a good idea to try several styles of yoga to see which one makes you feel the best and gets the best results for you.
SilverSneakers® classes offered 5 days/week! Contact Customer service to see if your supplemental insurance qualifies you for membership to BFACC and free classes!
SilverSneakers® Classic • Mon/Wed 8:30 am SilverSneakers® Yoga • Tue/Thurs 9:00 am SilverSneakers® Circuit • Fri 8:30 am Attend with your fitness punch card or pay for single class.
Try your first class FREE!
Contact Tessa to see which class is best for you. For more info, contact Tessa @ 892-2467 or programs.bfacc@midconetwork.com www.bellefourche.org
The teacher
Ultimately, your experience with yoga is going to depend heavily on who your teacher is. Many people find someone they “click” with; someone who has the right combination of experience, personality and style that inspire them to reach their goals. Yoga studios handle teachers in different ways, too. Some small, independently owned studios may only have one or two teachers, so the studio and the teacher are essentially one and the same. This is perfect if you find a teacher you like working with and want to learn from for a long period of time. Another factor to consider is the teacher’s training and background. Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher where they were trained and how much experience they have. A highly knowledgeable, well-trained teacher will be able to safely and skillfully lead you toward better health and a more peaceful, invigorating yoga experience.
The temperature
Just like with the different styles of yoga, some studios use different temperatures to
produce the right health effects for your body. Heated studios are quite common, but not all heat is the same. For some, “heat” might mean a desert-like 105-110 degrees, while others are in the high 90s or even slightly above room temperature. Non-heated studios could range from the high 60s to the mid-70s. While there is no right or wrong temperature universally, you should find a studio that brings out the healthiest feeling for your body and your needs.
The community
For many people, yoga is as much a social experience as it is an invigorating workout. For others, it’s a form of exercise to be done in mental solitude. The studio you pick will have developed its own atmosphere based on the teachers and participants. Whether you want a laidback, friend-like social setting with lots of talking after class or prefer practicing in peace and isolation and quickly leaving for home afterward, the experience you’ll get at different types of studios or classes can be quite different.