Dementia, sleep and daydreamingDementia, sleep and daydreaming
All In The Mind
Dementia affects around 450,000 Australians, and it comes in hundreds of forms. New research reveals that one form of dementia takes away the ability to daydream, and this has implications for improved care. Sleep disruption in middle age also emerges as another risk factor. And we hear how, after diagnosis, one person found a meaningful role in breaking down the stigma of dementia.
29:08•28 Apr 2019
Dementia, Lost Daydreams and the Power of Sleep
Episode Overview
- Early changes in recognition and language can be key signs of younger-onset dementia.
- Public involvement and dementia-friendly community projects may help reduce stigma and create meaningful roles for those diagnosed.
- Good sleep in midlife, without over-reliance on sleeping tablets, is presented as important for long-term brain health.
- People with frontotemporal dementia in this study often showed a striking loss of daydreaming and rich inner thought.
- Care settings may need to focus on personalised, stimulating environments rather than assuming people can entertain themselves mentally.
“"I've got dementia. What's your excuse?"”
Curious about how people cope with dementia while science tries to catch up? This episode of All In The Mind looks at life with younger-onset dementia, why sleep really matters for brain health, and what happens when the mind loses its ability to daydream. You’ll first meet Dennis Frost, diagnosed in his early 60s with semantic variant frontotemporal dementia.
He talks about real-world signs that something was wrong, like suddenly not recognising colleagues in a hardware store or struggling for simple words such as “omelette”. His dark humour shines through with the line, "I've got dementia. What's your excuse?", and he shares how becoming an equal partner in the Kiama dementia-friendly community project helped chip away at stigma and gave him a meaningful role. Professor Sharon Naismith then breaks down how sleep affects the ageing brain.
She describes sleep as a kind of "plumbing or sewage system for the brain" that clears out toxic proteins such as beta amyloid, and explains why fragmented sleep, sleep-disordered breathing and overuse of sleeping tablets may raise dementia risk. Her key message for midlife? Prioritise sleep and seek help if you’re constantly tired or unrefreshed. Associate Professor Marron Irish brings a surprising twist: her research on frontotemporal dementia suggests some people with this condition may lose the ability to daydream.
Using a boredom-inducing "shapes expectations" task, her team found that many patients reported their minds as "blank" or only commented on what was in front of them, pointing to an inner world that’s far less rich than often assumed. This has big implications for care, highlighting the need for stimulating, carefully managed environments and more personalised support.
If dementia touches your life, or you’re simply curious about how brain changes reshape everyday experience, this thoughtful mix of science and personal story might leave you wondering: how much do we really take our own inner mental life for granted?
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