Dementia symptoms checklist

This includes getting very confused when planning or thinking things through.

It does not include common signs of ageing, such as occasionally making a mistake, or taking a bit longer to do things.

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

This is a common symptom of many conditions, but it can sometimes be related to dementia.

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

This includes getting lost in the supermarket, or on a familiar route home.

It does not include common signs of ageing, such as getting lost in a place you don’t know well.

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

A person with dementia may have problems with sleeping at night, and may sleep more during the day. They may find it difficult to get to sleep or they may wake up in the night. 

Dementia can affect the production of a sleep hormone in the brain called melatonin. This helps the person to feel sleepy when it gets darker in the evening. 

This can be made worse by damage to the person’s body clock, which makes it harder for them to feel awake and alert during the day, and sleepy during the evening.