As winter comes to an end and the days become longer, many people are caught out by the change in the clocks which happens this weekend..

And for people with dementia, the time change may cause more than just a surprise.

The UK’s leading dementia charity, Alzheimer’s Society, has advised that many of the 92,514 people living with dementia in the South West can find themselves disorientated by the clocks moving forward.

As daylight begins to start earlier and end later, people with dementia may find it difficult to differentiate between 6am and 6pm. This can disrupt their circadian biological clock and make it hard for them and those who care for them to get enough sleep.

Not feeling ready to sleep because it is light outside can cause the person to become overtired, which can cause low mood and affect their ability to think clearly. They may also become irritable and distressed.