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1.  [Home](/)
2.  [Caring for elderly parents](/caring-for-elderly-parents)
3.  The evening decides the night 

Evenings

# The evening decides the night

Most night problems are made between six and ten. That is where the fix usually is, too.

Short answer

Keep the last three hours calm and predictable, avoid dozing in the chair before bedtime, keep the bedroom cool and the route to the bathroom lit, and finish the day with the same short sequence every night.

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01 

## Protect against the early doze

An hour asleep in the armchair at eight o'clock removes the sleep pressure that would have carried them through the night. Something mildly engaging in that hour — a call, a jigsaw, the radio — is worth more than any bedtime advice.

02 

## Lower the stimulation

News, loud television and difficult conversations in the last hour raise restlessness, particularly for people with dementia. Softer lighting and quieter sound genuinely change how the evening ends.

03 

## Sort the practicalities before bed

-   A drink to hand, but the bulk of fluids taken earlier in the day. 
-   A dim nightlight on the route to the bathroom. 
-   Bedroom around 18°C, curtains closed, clutter cleared from the floor. 
-   Slippers and a walking aid within reach of the bed. 

04 

## Finish with the same sequence

The same short set of steps each night, in the same order, becomes a signal the body responds to. It matters more than what the steps actually are.

A short evening prompt — "Time to settle down, dad" — at the same hour helps someone living alone hold to that.

## Being straight with you

You Care Reminders is a non-medical wellness tool, not a monitoring service and not an alarm. Delivery is best effort rather than guaranteed, and it must not be used for medication reminders. If you are worried about someone's health, speak to their GP; in an emergency, call 999.

## Questions carers ask

### Is a late-afternoon nap the problem?

### Why is the confusion worse in the evening?

### Should the television stay on overnight?

## Read next

-   [Parent up in the night](/parent-up-in-the-night)
-   [Sundowning and the late afternoon](/sundowning-late-afternoon)
-   [Morning routine for someone with dementia](/morning-routine-for-someone-with-dementia)
-   [Daily routine for dementia](/daily-routine-for-dementia)

## Set the first reminder tonight

It takes about five minutes, costs nothing to start, and the person you care for has nothing to install.

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