It is important to address any new concerns or behaviors with your mother’s doctor.  An increase in sleeping could be related to another medical condition that could be treated.  However, as you may already know, Alzheimer’s disease is considered a progressive neurodegenerative illness, which means that the illness causes more and more brain cells to become damaged over time.  The result of this ongoing brain damage is a continual loss in the ability to think and function correctly.  Alzheimer’s disease affects the whole brain in time, but not all at once.  You may be seeing a change in status in your mother because of her illness that a doctor can properly address. 

You should also consider your mother’s level of activity.  The fact that she is going to sleep at 6pm, may mean that she does not have anything to do, causing her to fall asleep.  If your mother is not stimulated throughout the day this could cause her sleep patterns to be disrupted.  Activities are truly important for a person with Alzheimer's or related dementia.  It can be argued that therapeutic activity is as beneficial for the health of brain cells as any medication or nutritional supplement.  By stimulating the brain through a variety of activities, both intellectual and social, you can help the healthy brain cells to compensate better for those that are damaged.  You may want to consider enrolling her in an Adult Day Program where she could interact with other people, while also having the opportunity to engage in some recreation.  The hope would be that your mother would eventually develop a daily routine, allowing her to have more purpose in her day and improved quality of life.

Hi Butterflies88

A very interesting question! Just how much sleep indicates health and/or wellbeing and how much seems too much. Any gross changes in sleep patterns could indicate illness. If she has other symptoms, such signs of infection (for example she has a chesty cough or her urine smells), or she is not eating, seems to be in pain, then you need to get her doctor to see her.

 As people age the length of time people sleep can increase considerably. My father can spend many hours asleep in the day and at night. Then he seems to return to a more ‘normal' sleep pattern. In his case it does not appear to be the result of any obvious changes in his wellbeing though it could be the result of his heart failure and its ability to function. It causes him no distress and he feels OK so I do not treat it as an emergency requiring any urgent medical attention other than his regular check ups and blood tests etc.

People in the later stages of Alzheimer's disease often spend long periods asleep. As a caregiver you have to make a judgement and it can be difficult. 

Christine